Life, And What Adventures It Brings
by BregoArodShadowfax
Summary: A series of one-shots inspired by songs or parts of songs, with no particular common theme or pairing. Warnings for fics that may include yaoi, gen, or het and all other applicable warnings will be at the top of the chapters themselves. R&R and enjoy!
1. The Shipped Gold Standard

**So, BregoArodShadowfax is back! And no, it's not the next chapter of 'Bound by Destiny,' but that's coming soon, I promise! This is a new project I've started, based upon one-shot ficlets that are inspired either by lines of songs or entire songs, and will be on various topics and have various pairings. Expect to see a lot of ZoSan, though, because that's my One Piece OTP and probably what I can write the best, but I'm certainly not adverse to writing both gen fics and het fics, so keep on the lookout! I'll try to keep the rating T, but if anything gets too out of hand I'll post a warning in front of the chapter so that you can skip over it if it doesn't appeal to you. I'll also list pairings and other warnings in front of the various fics. **

**Great, now that that's cleared up…Disclaimer time: I don't own One Piece (which belongs to the fantabulous Eiichiro Oda) nor do I own the songs used here. This chapter's title song, 'The (Shipped) Gold Standard' belongs to Fall Out Boy. That is all. **

**Enjoy! And please, drop me a review! Concrit is fine, although flames will be used to light my fireplace (and I don't have a real one, so don't flame). **

**Title: The (Shipped) Gold Standard**

**Rating: T**

**Warnings: Fairly minimal male/male interaction and blood; angst; sap…pretty much the usual from me:)**

**Pairing: ZoroxSanji**

**Word Count: 1644 (and these were supposed to be **_**drabbles??)**_

**The (Shipped) Gold Standard**

_I wanna scream 'I love you' from the top of my lungs,_

_But I'm afraid that someone else will hear me._

Where had that thought come from?

It wasn't as if he didn't have complete control over his body or his actions, after all (well, there _was _that one time after that dream, but that wasn't his fault. He'd really thought that he was under attack). And it wasn't as if the feelings suddenly sprouting rainbows and choreographed dancing in his chest were _new, _so to speak, but he had always been able to ignore them before. Apparently someone upstairs hated him, even if he didn't believe in them, because _this _was ridiculous.

Purple velvet. Purple…where did the darn sadist _keep _all of his clothes? He had as many as that orange-haired witch, and that was saying something. But that _shirt…_never mind the fact that it was so skin-tight he may as well have been wearing nothing, but the deep v-necked collar showed off a wondrous expanse of pale skin that normally was kept hidden under a button-up shirt and tie. It _also _didn't help that the shirt was _barely _long enough to reach the hem of his pants…which were not much better. Camel-coloured and completely form fitting with a slight flare at the bottom, accentuating both the fact that the other man had an _amazing _a…he pushed that thought away, but it was true, and the flare made his impossibly long legs look even longer, and Zoro wondered how they would feel wrapped around his waist while they…pushed that thought away, too.

"Oi, _Marimo, _you coming?" the bane of his existence turned, giving him a fleeting smile, and Zoro had to remember to breathe again. For some reason, the other man looked hotter in glasses than he normally did, and with the whole outfit, Zoro wasn't sure if he wanted to admire him in all of his glory or rip all those wonderful clothes off right then and there. "You look like you've seen a ghost," he calmly lit a cigarette and tapped the toe of his teal…_teal _shoe on the ground before rolling his eyes and turning away. "Well, since you seem incapable of talking, I'll just catch you later."

And he walked away, even though Zoro had yet to fully comprehend what had happened. When he did…that Sanji…_Sanji…_had just asked (in that roundabout way of his) if anything was wrong, he felt an odd sort of pressure in his chest and wondered absently what it was as that strange unbidden thought came up again. Because whatever he was feeling, it sure as heck wasn't love (maybe indigestion? He'd eaten that strange fruit a while back) and if he said anything out loud, chances are the one listening wouldn't be the one he wanted to hear it.

_You can only blame your problems on the world for so long,_

_Before it all becomes the same old song. _

But then, life was too reliable anyway. Especially after they had encountered the evil island people who had decided that they were to be used as sacrifices to appease whatever gods they worshipped. Not knowing where the others were was a bit of a problem, but Zoro took out all of the warriors that had rushed him and, in trying to get back to the ship, somehow ended up bumbling into their camp. Which was empty, save for the blonde cook smoking by the open fire-pit.

"Oi, cook."

"What?"

"You run into those crazy natives, too?"

"Yeah. Piece of cake," Sanji paused, and Zoro gave him a careful look.

"Where're you hurt?"

"I'm not! Mind your own business, idiot," Sanji bit his lip, and Zoro knew he was in pain. Because Sanji always became irritable when he was injured, and even through his tinted glasses Zoro could see the creases at the corner of his visible eye and the slight furrows in his forehead.

"Then let's go."

"Want to rest for a second. You go," Sanji shifted on the log, this time completely unable to keep the wince from crossing his face.

"Cook…" Zoro said in a warning tone as he strode forward and, even though this was going to come back to haunt him, gripped Sanji's arm and pulled him up. The blonde gasped and his breath cut off in a sob as he collapsed against the swordsman, unable to even hold his own weight.

_Tell that boy I'll leave you alone, now_

_Like a stone, I'll turn my love down. _

Zoro saw the blood and didn't know what to think, other than that Sanji's clothes were beyond ruined. "Oi, love-cook, what happened?" he asked quietly.

Sanji shook his head and clung harder to Zoro, hands fisting in the fabric of his white shirt. "Not important," he shuddered, blood already soaking through his shirt and dripping to stain the fabric of his pants. "I was an idiot, that's all."

"Okay," Zoro shrugged. He could appreciate pride, after all, and if the cook didn't want to tell him, he wouldn't press him on the subject. That strange flutter was stronger than ever now that the other man was right there in his arms, but he had to stubbornly push all thoughts of attraction away until he was certain that Sanji wasn't going to die on him. He was losing a lot of blood. "How are we going to get you back to the ship?"

_I gotta feel the wind chill again before I get old_

"I can lead," Sanji supplied. "But…"

"Yeah," Zoro put a hand under his knees and carefully scooped him into his arms, wincing as Sanji whimpered and buried his nose in the junction between Zoro's neck and shoulder, breath hot and harsh on the younger man's tanned skin. "Oi, Sanji?"

"I'll be fine," Sanji promised. "Just…get me to Chopper."

Zoro nodded and started to walk, following Sanji's instructions. The jungle was deep, and he knew for a fact that there were still ornery natives around. A fact which was made all the more true when about five burst out of the bush in front, yelling in a strange language. Zoro didn't quite know how to react to this; after all, he couldn't really shift Sanji anyway, and there was no way…

Luckily, the blonde answered his question for him by pushing himself up and flinging his leg out, even with the awkward angle managing to gain enough momentum to knock the leading man into the others and back into the bushes. Zoro took that as his cue and ran off, careful not to jostle the blonde too much.

"Oi, I thought I was the one rescuing you."

"Like heck. You couldn't carry out a successful rescue mission if your life depended on it. Oh, you might get the rescuing part okay, but getting them out? You'd get lost," Sanji smiled, although it was really more of a painful grimace, and Zoro let the debate drop. They could argue when Sanji was recovered.

_The time my dad caught me a horseshoe crab,_

_And I asked him if throwing it back into the sea would bring our luck back._

He couldn't mask the grin that stole over his face when they finally spotted the ship, and his stoic hold on his self-control nearly toppled overboard when Sanji nudged him gently with his nose and muttered, "Thanks, Zoro."

"Che. Causing me all this trouble, idiot," Zoro muttered, letting his forehead rest against the blonde's gently as Sanji let his arms circle Zoro's neck in what almost could have been an embrace. He pulled back and smiled, a strange hooded glaze to his eyes under the glasses that was no doubt the result of blood loss, and he seemed almost too pale, but he was _alive _and they were at the ship, meaning that help was only a few minutes away.

_I wanna scream 'I love you' from the top of my lungs,_

_But I'm afraid that someone else will hear me. _

Zoro decided that declarations of love were for pansies, anyway, and chances are some orange-haired sea witch _would _hear him even from half a mile away, or else a conveniently placed ear courtesy of a black-haired ex-assassin would materialize from the tree next to them and then _she _would relate the information to the witch.

And so, he decided to go with the less audible method and leant forward, giving Sanji plenty of time to tell him off, but the cook surprised him by meeting him and pressing they lips lightly together, his hand coming up to grip at Zoro's hair and angle his head so that the kiss was more comfortable. Zoro could tell he was weak, though, because he'd always imagined (not that he'd thought about it often) that Sanji would kiss with as much force as he himself, but it was barely a press; a tiny exhalation of breath.

Sanji's hand dropped back to rest on Zoro's shoulder as they broke apart and he gazed at the swordsman with half-lidded eyes. "I mean it," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "Thank you."

He closed his eyes and slipped into a half-doze, soft hair tickling Zoro's neck as the swordsman started toward the waiting ship, who realized that he no longer cared if anyone saw them. This island would soon be behind them, and he knew instinctively that nobody on the crew would make a fuss over whatever this thing between them could be called. That was what being _nakama _meant, after all: accepting each other no matter what. So he wouldn't be proclaiming his love from the crow's nest, not yet and probably not ever, but for now, this was enough.

"You're welcome…Sanji."

_As soon as we hit the hospital I know we're gonna leave this town,_

_And get new passports and get; get; get; get; get out now. _

**And that's all she wrote, folks! I can't say when this will be updated, as it will depend on inspiration, but all of these are stand-alone fics regardless. **

**Hope you enjoyed, and drop me a review:)**


	2. Mona Lisa

**Disclaimer: I own neither One Piece nor the song "Mona Lisa," which is sung by The All-American Rejects**

**Title: Mona Lisa (When The World Comes Down)**

**Rating: Actually, could probably make this one PG-ish. Nothing too scarring.**

**Warnings: None, really, other than a situation whose origins shall never be explained.**

**Characters: Sanji, ??? (I'm not giving it away. You have to read it:))**

**Spoilers: Up to about Chapter 490 (Thriller Bark) as well as Water 7/Enies Lobby**

**Word Count: 2574 (My goodness, they're getting longer…)**

**Mona Lisa**

_Here's another pity, and there's another chance._

_You try to learn a lesson, but you can't. _

He was insulted. Insulted, and tired, and completely unsatisfied.

But mostly insulted.

The _Sunny _had made port at a lovely summer island upon leaving the fog-shrouded Florian Triangle behind, and he had gone off alone to shop for supplies. Everyone seemed to be on edge, even with the addition of the skeleton-cum-musician, and the tension was grating on his nerves. Usually he could depend on the idiot swordsman if he wanted to release some pent-up tension, but Chopper had _expressly _forbidden the two of them to spar in _any _way, shape, or form, so there was nobody for him to even practice with.

And Zoro was…odd, but considering the events of Thriller Bark, that wasn't all that strange. But Sanji couldn't help but wonder, even when the swordsman was recovered, if he would be the same. He was moody and introspective of late (because he couldn't train), but he seemed to be searching for something within himself, and his insults weren't as sharp or as barbed as they used to be. In fact, he seemed to call the cook names more out of habit than spite, and every time he looked at Sanji there was something dark and intangible in his eyes. Sanji put it off as him merely being irked that Sanji had attempted to steal his thunder, but until he had decided to speak to the rest of them again, there wasn't much the blonde chef could do (short of kicking him in the head. And that would make Chopper mad).

Therefore, all of these events had conspired together to make him rather irritable, and even the soothing balm of his two lovely ladies could not quite dispel the fact that the ship had become far too loud in recent weeks. He had bought the supplies and stocked them away quickly before taking the meandering road from the beach and strolling through the lovely countryside, which seemed to have an overabundance of sheep farms, when the voice had hailed him.

And _this _was why he was insulted.

"Oi, youngster, fancy a little sparring match?"

Really, what _right _did that old geezer have to call him 'youngster?' And how _dare _he presume that just because he was blonde and slender he was weak enough to pose no threat to an elderly blue-hair? But he was nothing if not a gentleman, and he intended to _politely _tell the idiot that a sparring match against Blackleg Sanji would only result in broken bones (and not on his side), when the words died in his throat.

The man addressing him was leaning casually against a tree and gazing up into the branches in a contemplative way, head cocked slightly to the side. But that wasn't what had shocked the cook. This man…he was _young_. He couldn't have been more than a few years older than Sanji, and he spoke like he was _eighty! _What did…wait…

"Do I…know you?" he asked cautiously. Something was shooting warning signals up his spine, and although the stranger _looked _harmless enough in his unassuming high-collared jacket and baseball cap, there was something familiar about him. Something that told Sanji that maybe…_maybe_…he could hold his own in a fight.

_If we can burn a city in futures and in pasts,_

_Without a change out lives will never last_

'_Cause we're goin' fast_

"I believe we've met before, but I don't think we have ever been properly introduced," the other man replied formally, smiling (he had a rather nice smile) and extending a hand. Sanji had a vague thought that this man had a nose that was almost more ridiculous than Usopp's before the stranger continued, "My name is Kaku."

"Sanji."

"You're one of Strawhat Luffy's crew, are you not?" Kaku pushed himself off of the tree.

And then it clicked. "And you're one of those government agents that tried to kill us back at Enies Lobby," his gaze hardened. "So what is this?"

"A sparring match," Kaku shrugged. "That should be evident, should it not?"

"What's the catch, nose-boy? You gonna pull something and try to kill me?" Sanji narrowed his eyes and stuck his hands in his pockets.

"Never. I'm nothing but a man of my word," Kaku held up his hands in a gesture of surrender, and Sanji gazed at him carefully, surprised to see nothing but honesty in his eyes. "Admittedly, the simple fact that I work for the government and you sail as a pirate would automatically make us enemies, but right now I am not under any obligations to capture you."

"Because you screwed up, right?" Sanji smirked. "Because we kicked your tails. Literally."

"Precisely. The government has decided that we are no longer capable of capturing you, and therefore have given us rather mundane tasks…taking care of low bounty pirates who don't even know the right way to hold a sword. Needless to say, a decent fight is hard to come by. And you looked like there is some unresolved tension you need to get rid of, so I thought that perhaps we both could gain something from a little confrontation. After all, with our brief meeting aboard the sea-train, I was only able to tell that you are indeed a competent fighter, as nobody should have been able to break through our _Tekkai _so easily as you almost did, but I would dearly like to see more of your skill," he explained, crossing his arms and smiling.

"That's it?"

"That's it."

"And you're not gonna try anything funny," Sanji jabbed his cigarette at the other man.

"On my honor," Kaku put his hand over his heart.

"Alright, then," Sanji finally conceded. He was still wary, of course, but he figured that he could take the agent in a fight. The only reason he had been knocked off his feet last time was because he hadn't been paying attention, but that wasn't going to happen again. "Just let me stretch a bit. I haven't had a good fight in a while."

"By all means. I would benefit from a little warming up as well."

_What can we do better? When will we know how?_

_A man says from a sidewalk to a crowd._

Sanji shrugged out of his jacket and loosened his tie before his hands froze. This man…he…he couldn't deny how wide his eyes had gotten, because Kaku had just bent backwards…all the way to the ground…and propped himself on his hands, staying like that before kicking his feet up and flipping over, using his hands to propel his body until his feet were once more on the ground. "Impressive."

Kaku glanced up and nodded before Sanji bent his knee and pulled his heel up, raising his leg so that it was parallel to his body and straight up in the air. He crossed his arms and smirked, knowing that the other man would recognize the stretch as being incredibly difficult to hold. And he was right. "I could say the same for you. I hear tell you fight only with you feet. Is that true?"

"I'm a chef. I wouldn't be of much use if I screwed up my hands, would I?" Sanji replied, finally lowering his leg and sinking to the ground, doing the splits without even a hitch in his fluid movement.

"I suppose that makes sense. Would you be at a disadvantage against me, then?" he asked, looking genuinely concerned.

"Feh. I fight with that stupid _Marimo-_headed swordsman all the time. This is nothing," he assured the older man.

"I hope you don't regret those words," Kaku pulled his swords from where they were leaning against the tree. "Well then, shall we?"

"Bring it."

_If we can change the weather, if you wanted to yourself_

_And if you can't I guess we all need help. _

Sanji was splayed out on the soft grass, chest heaving and hair sweat-soaked as he chuckled and lit a cigarette. He felt completely relaxed, the tension that had been weighing on him all but gone. This Kaku…he was good. He fought with his swords _and _his legs, and Sanji had been pleasantly surprised at his technique. Truth be told, sparring with Zoro had become almost boring and routine: they knew each other's moves so well that it was almost like a training exercise of sorts, and their spats never varied. But this was a challenge to both his body and his brain, and he relished fighting against such a skilled opponent.

"Well," Kaku finally said, his sentence punctuated by heavy breaths, "I can see you certainly have earned your bounty."

"You're not half-bad yourself," Sanji assured him, glancing at the other man. Kaku had shed his heavy, wide-collared overcoat after the match and was dressed in a simple t-shirt; he had one knee pulled to his chest as he lay on his back and gazed up into the branches of the tree above them. "How did the stupid _Marimo _beat you, anyway?"

"He was better than I," Kaku replied thoughtfully. "But Jyabura has spoken of your special attack. It would be something useful for me to learn, I would think," he said in an offhand way.

"Yeah, and I wouldn't mind learning some of that _Rankyaku _stuff you specialize in. I have a disadvantage against some enemies because I need to be in contact with them in order to do damage, but if I could turn _air _into a weapon…" he shook his head.

"I could teach you," Kaku offered.

"I'd never ask you to. Besides, if you did, the government would know where I learned it and you'd be in trouble," Sanji had to point out. "We don't have time for that anyway."

"The offer stands," Kaku replied. "But your little crew has its own share of special powers. I hear tell that Franky the Cyborg joined with you, now?"

"Luffy wanted him on the crew. And Luffy generally gets what he wants," Sanji smiled. "Believe me, I had _no _intention of joining his little quest, but he'll wear you down, that's for sure. Although I think the main reason he wanted me was because of my cooking skills.

"By the way," Sanji sat up and studied the other man closely. "How old are you?"

"You mean, because of the way I speak? Yes, your captain was rather curious about that as well," Kaku chuckled. "But I would think that a gentleman like yourself could appreciate a more refined way of speaking."

"There's a difference between 'refined' and 'elderly.' I thought you were an old man," Sanji muttered.

"Sorry. But we all have our oddities, don't we? And I'm twenty-three," he added. "That can't be much older than you yourself."

"Nineteen."

"You seem older."

"I never had time to be a kid," Sanji countered. "I worked as a chore boy on a passenger ship until the storm, and since then I've worked as an apprentice cook and finally the sous-chef on a sea restaurant. At least until Luffy spirited me away."

"There's something else, isn't there?" Kaku studied him closely. "You have something else in your past that has shaped you and aged you beyond your teenage years. I don't expect you to tell me," he added as Sanji glared at him, "but I can tell."

"You're right," Sanji finally conceded, continuing to smoke and gaze at the tranquil countryside.

_You can sit beside me when the world comes down,_

_If it doesn't matter then just turn around_

"Hey."

"Hmm?"

"You've eaten a Devil's Fruit, right?"

"Yes. For fun."

"Zoan?"

"Yes."

"What do you turn into?"

Kaku sighed and scratched his head, raising the cap and showing off a little more of his reddish-gold hair. "You have to promise that you won't laugh."

"Why would I laugh?"

"Even that stoic swordsman crewmate of yours thought it was amusing. And sometimes I fear that I cannot control my temper when something about me is made light of," Kaku admitted, a slight blush staining his face.

"You and me both. You see this?" Sanji pointed to his curled eyebrow. "Stupid swordsman gives me flack about it all the time. But really, who's he to talk? He's got green hair."

Kaku stifled a chuckle at that and finally nodded. "You won't laugh?"

"I won't."

"Alright, then."

There was a moment's stillness, and suddenly an oddly geometrical giraffe was facing Sanji, before the Zoan user shifted again and a full giraffe was in his place, baseball cap still firmly on its head. "Well," Sanji cleared his throat. "I can't think of a better animal for you. You much have incredible reach with those legs."

"Thank you," the giraffe spoke, inclining its head. "You're the first one to notice and appreciate that. Jyabura just laughs at me."

"Hey, he's a wolf with a moustache. He shouldn't talk," Sanji snorted.

The giraffe nodded its head slightly and twitched its ears, and Sanji smiled in amusement because the noise they made was about the same one Chopper made when he twitched his blue nose. A second later, Kaku was standing back on the ground in his normal form, and he gazed out at the horizon for a moment. "I should get going."

_We say, and we do_

_All the lies, the truth_

_Yeah, we're goin' fast_

Sanji was forced to nod, although he quite enjoyed the other's company, government assassin or not. But as Kaku turned to walk down the hill, a rather pointed growl filled the air, and the older man blushed again.

"Hey," Sanji sat up, sticking his cigarette back into his pocket and pulling up a thick-bladed leaf of grass which he stuck in his mouth instead. "Come back to the ship. I'll make you dinner."

"No, that's perfectly alright. I would not want your crew to know you've been interacting with me," Kaku kept his back turned.

"It's fine. Zoro's the only one there anyway, and he liked you. Always prattles on about what a great ally you'd make if you weren't working for the enemy," Sanji said.

"Well, it is an honor that the great Roronoa Zoro thinks highly of me," Kaku replied.

"Really? I think if he ever said anything like that to me the world would end," Sanji quipped back, and this time Kaku did laugh; a clear sound that held no malice or enmity whatsoever. "Come on, Kaku. You'll never taste food like mine anywhere else."

"And I completely believe you are telling the truth," Kaku turned and grinned. "Alright, then, Sanji. After all, what can it hurt? I can be gone in an instant if anyone looks at me suspiciously."

"I knew that was you I saw flying over the buildings that day in Water 7," Sanji placed the connection instantly.

"Yes, I was also the one who discovered that the keel on your previous ship was irreparably damaged," he added. "I'm somewhat of a carpenter, you know."

"Well, be thankful we have one now, or else Luffy would probably ask you to join," Sanji paused before clapping him on the shoulder. "Shall we?"

"Lead the way."

And so, the unlikely duo of pirate and government agent made their way down the winding dirt road to the harbour where the _Thousand Sunny _lay waiting.

_We don't need our bags, and we can just leave town._

_You can sit beside me when the world comes down. _

**Possibly the strangest idea/pairing of characters I've ever written, but the plot bunny hit and the story came out incredibly smoothly. I've rationalized all of the reasons why these two **_**would **_**get along well in my head (and compiled a list of sorts, so bear with me!)**

**1. They're both capable of being incredibly polite and formal, and yet can lose their temper almost as easily (and generally over trivial things). **

**2. For the most part, even their enemies respect them. After all, Sanji keeps making friends (Gin, Bon Kurei, Duval, etc.)**

**3. Their near-inhuman flexibility. Not really something that connects them personality-wise, but they **_**do **_**seem to have a lot of similar moves, which leads to…**

**4. Fighting style. Many people seem to associate Kaku more with Zoro because of his swords, but he's nearly as proficient with his feet (and also darn good with those throwing-knife things of his, and Sanji has proven he's no slacker when it comes to knife-work). **

**So there you have my odd rationale for why this story came about, and I hope that somebody out there liked it:) The next story is (predictably) ZoSan (again) for anyone who was wondering, so look out for that! **

**One more note: I've taken 'Kaku talks like an old man' (which mostly seems to add '-ja' to the ends of sentences in Japanese) to mean, in English, 'Kaku talks weirdly formal.' **

**Oh, and a note to Paloma: Sorry about the formatting; I've re-read it and realized that it's confusing what's story and what's song. I've changed that for this one, and the only reason I keep the lyrics in (well, two of them) is because sometimes the entire song won't fit with the story so I simply pick and choose lines that will (and sometimes it's out of order), and occasionally the lyrics will act as a line break and lead into the next set of paragraphs where without them it wouldn't make any sense. Hope that helps! **


	3. Shiver

**Disclaimer: One Piece isn't mine, and neither is the song "Shiver," which belongs to Maroon 5**

**Title: Shiver**

**Rating: Probably still T, because…well, you'll see…**

**Warnings: Yaoi, yaoi, yaoi**

**Pairing: ZoroxSanji (as promised)**

**Spoilers: None. I guess Skypeia, but that's going pretty far back**

**Word Count: 2386**

**Shiver**

_You build me up, you knock me down_

_Provoke a smile, and make me frown_

"So…hot…" Luffy complained. He was perched on the figurehead of the _Going Merry, _his tongue lolling out of his mouth as complained bitterly about the heat. Chopper was hiding in the galley beside the icebox, and both Nami and Robin were relaxing under the shade of the _mikan _trees; hands full of drinks that were replenished every half-hour by the overly-doting cook. Usopp was holed up in the men's cabin, working on some new experiment involving Tone Dials, and Zoro, as predicted, was training.

Although there were certainly other things on his mind right then. Namely the cook, who was on his way back to the kitchen from a drink run. He stopped exactly in Zoro's line of sight and sighed, swiping a hand through his golden hair while with the other he loosened the tight knot on his tie. He paused to stare at Zoro, eyes sultry and a smug smirk on his lips before he breezed by into the galley as if he _hadn't _just offered the other man an invitation.

Well, he had another thing coming.

_You chew me up and spit me out,_

_Enjoy the taste I leave in your mouth_

Considering that the stupid love-cook only came out to serve drinks every half-hour, that gave him approximately twenty-five minutes. Now the only problem was where this was going to take place. The galley was out, because of the overheating Chopper, and so was the men's cabin. The women's was always off-limits unless Nami gave them express permission to use it, and anywhere on deck would only result in more sweating than he really wanted. So that left the storage locker, and while it wasn't particularly appealing, at least it had a locking door. And so he stormed into the galley, grunted, "I need to talk to you," to the cook, and grabbed his elbow, pulling him to the chosen room and flipping the lock on the door.

"Oi, what's the…" was all Sanji managed to articulate before he was shoved against the wall and a hot mouth was on his, tongue sliding past open lips to explore the other man's mouth. Sanji always tasted of spice and smoke, something that Zoro thought would have irritated him but found to his pleasure that it didn't. His hand came up to tangle in the cook's golden hair, still damp from both sweat and sea-spray. Sanji purred against his lips, hooking a foot around the back of Zoro's calf and tugging so that they were pressed together before he finally tugged his head back for a much-needed breath. "Anxious, are we?" he panted out as Zoro growled, but a hand to his chest kept him at bay. "Look, I've only got thirty minutes. Can't this wait until tonight?"

"Do you _want _to wait until tonight?" Zoro shifted his hips forward to emphasize his point, and Sanji grunted, eyes rolling back slightly as his mouth dropped open. "I take it that's a 'no.' Besides, thirty minutes is a long time for us."

"It doesn't have to be," Sanji replied almost petulantly.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that not everything has to be done like you're some sort of rutting bull," Sanji sniffed, turning his head to the side, his hair appearing a burnished honey-gold in the lantern light.

"What…"

"We've been doing this long enough to figure out that we're a little _more _to each other than just tension-relievers. So prove it to me, Roronoa Zoro. Prove to me that you want me," Sanji threw him that seductive smirk again, one hand resting lightly over Zoro's shoulder.

_You look at me, I look at you_

_Neither of us know what to do_

"I…" Zoro blinked. "What do you want me to do?"

"Well, gee, I don't know," Sanji rolled his eyes and cuffed him on the back of his head. "Figure it out. Idiot."

Zoro grunted at the word and moved forward, lightly tasting Sanji's lips as the older man parted them; feather-light kisses that tickled somewhat and made Zoro feel like some sort of wuss. Men didn't kiss like that! But Sanji was making those almost-inaudible noises low in his throat that said he was pleased, so Zoro decided to keep at it. He moved his lips to Sanji's jaw, licking the salty skin as he travelled lower, and Sanji arched his neck in response, baring more of the alabaster flesh to Zoro's questing mouth.

He worked slowly down the cook's throat, sucking at the pulse-point and feeling how rapid the older man's heartbeat had become as Sanji's slender fingers roved over his back, graceful fingertips drawing meaningless diagrams on the fabric of his shirt. When he reached the already-loosened black tie, he untied it while muttering curses under his breath. Sanji let out a low, throaty chuckle at his actions and thoroughly distracted him with lips and fingers and a foot that was slowly rubbing up and down his calf. Eventually Zoro got the blasted tie off and all but threw it to the side.

"Don't dirty my good ties, _Marimo," _Sanji muttered, and Zoro rolled his eyes at the predictability of it all as he set to work on the buttons of Sanji's shirt, his mouth following the line of the other man's breastbone as inch after inch of creamy white skin was revealed. "Hmm…do you think this will hold my weight?" he asked vaguely, stretching his arms above his head and indicating the heavy wood storage shelves.

"Can hold bags of flour, so why not?" It took Zoro a couple of seconds to figure out that Sanji was hinting again, and finally he glanced up at the other man. "What?"

_And there may not be another way to your heart,_

_So I guess I've gotta find a new way in_

"Wow, you have the imagination of a _snail, _don't you?" Sanji looked unimpressed, even with the flush of arousal beginning to show on his face and neck. "Be a little more romantic, will you?" he crossed his arms around his head and moved his gaze to the side.

Zoro followed his eyes and then turned back, suspicious. "Bondage is romantic?"

"Humor me."

Zoro told himself that if this was the only way he was getting any this afternoon, he would cater to whatever strange whims the blonde was going to throw at him as he picked up the tie. "I thought you told me not to wreck your ties."

"It's ruined anyway, now that it's thrown in the dust. That's not going to come out," Sanji sniffed as Zoro reached above his head and secured his wrists, yanking the silk tight. "Oi, easy on my hands, idiot." The blonde kneed him in the stomach and Zoro glared in response.

"Then don't ask for it."

"Honestly, I _try _to teach you to be a little romantic…"

"You're such a girl."

"I'm not a…" Sanji choked on his words and let out a moan as Zoro palmed the front of his pants, fingers exploring the obvious heat that was there.

"No, guess you're not. You're a masochist, though. This is actually turning you on, huh?"

"Am not," Sanji protested, kicking his legs up and locking his heels around the other man's waist; causing Zoro to stumble forward. "You're the one who likes to get cut up just for kicks."

_I shiver when I hear your name, I think about you but it's not the same_

_I won't be satisfied 'til I'm under your skin._

Zoro chose to ignore the last comment and, with a cursory glance up at the shelf to make sure it wasn't buckling, lowered his head. Sanji's open shirt draped loosely around his chest as Zoro continued to kiss and suck at the other man's throat, eventually moving to lick a line along the cook's defined clavicle and suck gently along the bone. Sanji was making those little noises in the back of his throat again, and Zoro wasn't ever going to admit it, but maybe the cook wasn't the _only _one who was getting a little hot and bothered by the situation. Admittedly, even though Zoro liked having control, the blonde's weapons were still very much free and able to boot him across the room at the slightest provocation, and the added element of danger was most certainly to Zoro's liking.

He chanced a look up at Sanji's face and noted with pleasure that the older man was definitely starting to lose control. His visible pupil was dilated and his mouth was open; chest heaving with wracking pants. Resuming his downward path, he brought one hand up to rest beside Sanji's head and used the other to trace slowly around a rosy nipple, his calloused fingers rubbing on the tender skin as Sanji let a ragged gasp tear from his throat.

"Oi, you want them to hear you?"

"Nobody's close enough," Sanji muttered in response.

"Maybe you'd like a gag, as well?"

"Shut it." Sanji somehow managed to shift his hips up enough to get a heel around Zoro's neck and nudge the swordsman's head with his foot. "And keep your snide comments to…mmm…yeah…" he groaned as Zoro replaced his fingers with his tongue, rolling it around the small nub and just barely grazing it with his teeth, the friction enough to make Sanji start what Zoro mentally named his 'contortionist act.'

His head was thrown back against one of the shelves, giving Zoro better access to his chest, and his back was bent at an obscene angle, making Zoro wonder if he had any bones in there at _all _because he was certain that something would have been snapping if he did. One leg was still locked around Zoro's waist and the other was now over his shoulder as he bucked into Zoro's touch.

_Immobilized by the thought of you  
Paralyzed by the sight of you  
Hypnotized by the words you say  
Not true but I believe 'em anyway_

Zoro wondered idly what the time was and why Sanji wasn't sniping about not getting out for Nami and Robin's half-hour-on-the-dot-drink-replacement, but he decided that he wasn't going to remind the other man if his mind wasn't on his lovely ladies right now.

And he intended to keep him distracted as he licked his way down Sanji's chest, one hand coming to trace the lines of muscle on his toned abdomen; ghosting lightly over his pectorals as Sanji squirmed slightly. "Idiot. That tickles."

"Good," Zoro shot him a feral grin before pulling himself up and attacking Sanji's mouth again, this time without restraint as Sanji's moans were swallowed up and their tongues twined around each other, lack of breath forcing them briefly apart before their mouths were joined once more. Sanji was jerking roughly, obviously itching to touch but forgetting that his hands were restrained, and Zoro was betting that the tie would certainly be misshapen if not entirely snapped through by the time this was over.

But the teasing had gone on long enough. He broke contact with the other man's mouth and slid his hands downward again, caressing pale flesh as he came to the waistband of the black slacks. He inched them down as far as they could go and let his hands knead the flesh above Sanji's prominent hipbones, following the 'v' they formed until he had no choice but to unbutton the offending pants.

Sanji was desperately trying to untie the bonds on his hands now, and Zoro placed a light kiss on his stomach. "Idiot, stop. You'll hurt your wrists."

"Nngh…"

"I'm getting there. You're the one who said you wanted to take it slow," Zoro reminded him, and even though Sanji seemed incapable of forming a complete sentence, the look in his eyes clearly said, 'if you don't finish this _right now_ you're not getting fed for a week.'

And Zoro liked getting fed, so he yanked the zipper down and Sanji let out a noise that Zoro had no name for. It was a whimper and a gasp and a moan mixed into one, and quite possibly the hottest thing he had ever heard. And really, his own pants were getting a little snug, so there was no reason to delay anymore.

He slowly hooked his fingers in the belt loops on Sanji's pants and started to manoeuvre them down his hips.

_So come to bed, it's getting late_

_There's no more time for us to waste_

_Remember how my body tastes_

_You feel your heart begin to race_

Salt. The taste was on his tongue as he worked, and he realized that Sanji always tasted that way. Sweat and sea-spray and whatever he cooked with left every inch of him tasting salty. And as he slid the tight-fitting pants down even farther, he finally let his eyes drift back up…

"Oi, Marimo. _Ma-ri-mo. _Wake up!"

A foot to the side of his head caused him to blink rather stupidly, and he found himself looking up at a rather irate chef. "What?"

"You've been out here in the heat all day. If Chopper were in any condition to talk to you, he'd tell you that you're going to have heat stroke. Get into the galley," Sanji toed him in the side for good measure and sauntered off, muttering about 'stupid oafs interrupting my schedule.'

Zoro was still a little disoriented, but when Usopp burst out of the men's room crowing "Nami! I got that song you wanted onto the tone dial!" things began to click into place.

And it was obviously a pretty bad case of heat stroke if he was fantasizing about the _cook, _of all things. But Zoro really didn't want Chopper mad at him just because he was careless, so he got up slowly and made his way into the galley, seeing Chopper still sacked out by the icebox and Sanji readying the next round of drinks.

His eyes started to drift toward the blonde, but he immediately shook his head and sat at the table, grunting, "Oi, cook, get me something to drink."

"Get it yourself, moss-head."

And as Sanji swept by him to leave the galley, he vowed only one thing: he was never training in the heat again.

**Hoo, that was a pain to write! It took me literally three days to get the wording I wanted and to figure out how exactly I wanted the story to flow and how to fit the song in. This wasn't even supposed to be the next fic in the story, but the one I had planned I'm not completely happy with yet and so you get this instead. **

**A note to roo17: Yay for odd pairings! I'm always glad when I can write something that someone else can also see as a pairing (it makes me feel somewhat less crazy for imagining it in the first place!) but since I can't actually find any stories with the two of them **_**anywhere, **_**I may have to write my own some day…**

**Hope everyone enjoyed, and drop me a review:)**


	4. Human

**Disclaimer: One Piece does not belong to me, and the song "Human" is performed by The Killers**

**Title: Human**

**Rating: T **

**Warnings: Not much, considering**

**Characters: CP9, Kaku-centric, very, very almost-not-there Lucci/Kaku**

**Spoilers: Water 7 and CP9, a bit on the recent manga chapter title pages**

**Word Count: 2830**

**Human**

_I did my best to notice_

_When the call came down the line_

_Up to the platform of surrender_

_I was brought, but I was kind_

"But did you _all _have to come?"

He got several impassive stares in response and resigned himself to sighing, head hanging down while he attempted to keep a grimace off of his face. It wasn't that he wasn't glad to see them, of course he was, but when planning a jailbreak it didn't seem the most practical of choices that they could have made.

For instance, two of them were far too loud, one had no control over his temper, one was likely to accuse _everyone _of sexual harassment (the fact that he was currently chained to the wall with a _sword sticking out of his chest _did not mean he was safe), one was unpredictable (and had a pigeon), and the last was…well…relatively normal, thank heaven.

But this _still _didn't explain why it took _six people _to break him out. "Don't…" he managed to force out as a hand neared the sword. "The blade is _Kairouseki_. You can touch the handle, I would think, but…"

The glare he got in response told him that, honestly, Lucci didn't care, and as he grasped the handle and _pulled_, the unfortunate victim felt his eyes roll up in his head and the next thing he knew he was out of that horrid prison and held in a pair of strong arms.

He kept his eyes closed until the earth had stopped jolting so much, and must have dozed off again at some point, because when he opened them he was in a bed on a ship and there were bandages covering the stab wound. "So you're awake."

"Kalifa," he nodded politely to her and grunted a little in pain. "Where are we…"

"Back to Headquarters," she replied simply. "It should take us a few days. So, you want to tell me what happened?"

"Forgetting about some important facts."

"Which ones? The fact that you can't swim, or the fact that Seastone renders you immobile?" she asked, resting her chin in her hand and cocking her head slightly to the side.

"The second one. I figure that after Roronoa I can take a sword to the chest just fine, but I had never counted…that is to say, I did not think such rabble-rousing pirates would be in possession of something so rare as a _Kairouseki _blade."

_And sometimes I get nervous_

_When I see an open door_

_Close your eyes, clear your heart_

_Cut the cord_

"You've gotten soft," she replied simply.

"I've what now?"

"Kaku," she sighed, reaching to lightly brush his reddish-gold hair. "Not _every _pirate crew is like Straw-Hat Luffy's. Many of them are purely evil and will give no quarter. Just because one swordsman showed you mercy does not mean all of them will."

"I realize that."

"Lucci wasn't pleased," she informed him.

"Is that man ever pleased?" Kaku returned, still the picture of politeness as he finally sat up, leaning back against the headboard on the bed and putting a hand on his chest. "Where are the others?"

"I kicked them out. They were noisy."

"I see. I suppose that was a wise course of action," Kaku admitted. "I have a feeling that…"

"Open the door, woman!"

There was a frightful pounding outside, and Kalifa rolled her eyes and stood. "Do you want to let the circus in?"

"Why not? They will come in eventually, and I'd rather not have to replace the door," Kaku reasoned.

"Your funeral," Kalifa strutted to the door and opened it, only to have a mass of bodies come tumbling in.

"Ha, did you see that, giraffe boy? Where's that twenty extra _douriki _now, huh?" Jyabura was grinning like a fiend. "Betcha _I _wouldn't have gotten caught."

"It hardly concerns me," Kaku replied blandly, knowing that it would get a rise out of the wolf Zoan and finding himself proven correct as Jyabura growled.

"Chapapa! Jyabura is jealous because he knows that Lucci wouldn't come to save _him _as fast!" was Fukurou's helpful contribution.

"Yoyoi! Such beautiful friendship!" Kumadori posed theatrically. "Such…"

"_OUT!" _

There was a loud bang and Kalifa lowered her leg and daintily tucked a hair back into place.

"Thank you," Kaku smiled at her.

"Those three jokers are the last thing you need right now."

"Coffee?"

The voice came from outside, and Kalifa cautiously opened the door to admit Blueno. "I appreciate it," Kaku accepted the proffered cup.

"I see the 'get well soon' party has already ended?" Blueno said dryly, taking a seat by the bed and sipping at his own cup.

"Before it began. Honestly," Kalifa rubbed her temples. "We're the greatest group of assassins in the world. How did those three make it onto the team?"

"Because we're a team based on talent, not personality," Kaku replied succinctly. "And because of our boss."

"Who can rot in the hospital for a good long time," Kalifa sniffed haughtily.

"I appreciated having him around," Kaku countered. "That way, he was the only one who got pinned with sexual harassment."

"You're not the problem, Kaku. You're a gentleman. That _wolf, _however," she bared her teeth.

"He means you no harm, Kalifa," Blueno assured her, and she stared into her coffee cup.

_Pay my respects to grace and virtue,_

_Send my condolences to good._

_Give my regards to soul and romance,_

_They always did the best they could_

"We're all still thinking about them, aren't we?" Kaku asked after a time, and who the 'them' was was obvious: Straw-Hat and his crew.

"Maybe we always will be," Blueno said simply. "They were not what we were trained to fight."

"But then…" Kalifa started before closing her mouth.

Their introspective session was cut short by the arrival of none other than Rob Lucci, who strode purposefully into the room and, at one glance to note the absence of any more chairs, settled himself haughtily on the edge of the bed as Hattori flapped to Kaku's shoulder.

"Hattori wanted to see you."

Kaku nodded at the blunt statement and scratched the bird under its chin. Hattori cooed happily at the attention, even though Kaku knew that sometimes Lucci spoke through the pigeon. He'd never admit to something so basic and human as worry himself, of course, but his _bird _seemed capable of several different emotions.

"I apologize for any inconvenience I've caused," Kaku bowed his head. "I was careless."

"You've gone soft."

"Yes, people seem to think so," Kaku muttered. "It was an unfortunate slip-up on my part."

"Unfortunate only for us. You realize that we had no obligation to save you?"

_And yet you did, _Kaku thought absently. _And yet you did. _

"Don't be so hard on him, Lucci," Blueno said. "The boy has done an admirable job as an agent. Considering his age, the fact that he is the second in command of CP9 shows his talent and his intelligence."

And there it was. The word. 'Boy.' Kaku tended to also forget about his age, but there was no denying it: he _was _the youngest member of CP9. Perhaps only by two years, but Kalifa seemed to have a wealth of experience that he had yet to acquire.

"I'll certainly admit that," Lucci turned his expressionless eyes on Kaku. "But youth is no excuse for carelessness."

"I understand, Lucci. It won't happen again."

"See that it doesn't," Lucci replied tersely before standing up. He glanced back once before walking through the door, and Kaku sighed and slumped back against the wall as Hattori cooed in a placating manner.

_And so long to devotion,_

_You taught me everything I know_

_Wave goodbye; wish me well_

_You've gotta let me go_

"He was quite worried," Blueno said after a time. "He does think an awful lot of you, you know."

"It hardly matters," Kaku scrubbed a hand through his hair. "Because he's right. I _did _let everyone down, and to think that you all went through that trouble just to get me back…"

"We didn't all have to come," Kalifa put in, crossing her legs primly. "It was a choice."

"A choice?" Kaku looked confused. "But…why? The reason we're training new recruits is…"

"Naturally there is always a chance that one of us may not survive a battle," Blueno nodded. "But just because that is a fact doesn't mean that any of us are expendable."

Kalifa sighed and pushed her glasses up, muttering something about, "sometimes I wouldn't mind losing those three idiots out there."

"Oi, woman, what did you say?" Jyabura kicked the door open and sauntered in. "You know I can hear you, right?"

"Forgive me if I sometimes forget how useful your Zoan abilities are," she replied icily.

"Yoyoi! Does this mean that yooouuu do not like your Devil's Fruuuuuit, Kalifa?" Kumadori trilled.

"Quite the opposite. Sometimes I think that turning you all into little dolls would be quite useful for my sanity," she ground out from between clenched teeth.

"Gentlemen; Kalifa; I hate to break up the party, but I think it would be best if we left," Blueno mentioned in his calm voice, indicating Kaku who was rapidly falling asleep.

"Chapapa! Whatever you say!" Fukurou wandered out, followed by Kumadori.

"Did Lucci read him the riot act, or what?" Jyabura wondered aloud.

"More or less," Kalifa shook the young agent's shoulder. "Kaku. Lay down or you'll wake up in pain."

"Yes," Kaku muttered, sliding down the wall as Kalifa helped to settle him and cover him up.

"Well…get better, giraffe-boy," Jyabura awkwardly scratched his head as Kaku let out a tired sigh and gave him a slight smile.

"Thank you."

"Whatever," Jyabura attempted to hide his blush before he stalked out, muttering to himself.

"I suppose I should go as well. Sleep well, Kaku," Blueno stood and exited, leaving Kaku alone with Kalifa again.

"He'll come around," she said simply, and Kaku nodded wearily, knowing whom she was referring to. "Now get to sleep."

_Will your system be alright,_

_When you dream of home tonight?_

_There is no message we're receiving, _

_Let me know, is your heart still beating?_

Back at their temporary headquarters, Kaku was sitting on the broad windowsill in his room, one knee drawn up to his chest and the other splayed out along the ledge. His chest wasn't truly bothering him anymore, but something had seemed…_off _with everyone since they had returned. Almost like they were avoiding him for some reason, although he couldn't figure out why.

The near-silent sound of the door opening made him turn slightly, and he was a tad surprised when Lucci entered and walked over to the window. He was silent for a time, dark and brooding, before he finally spoke. "It was a mistake."

Kaku inwardly flinched. "I told you that you were not obligated to come save me…"

"Not that. Sending you along to Water 7 in the first place," Lucci cut him off briskly.

"What can you mean by that?"

"I told the higher-ups that it wasn't a good idea. You're the same age now as I was then, and _I _felt young. You were eighteen, and it was to be your first mission. We knew it was important; knew that everything had to go off perfectly, and you were perfect for the job only because you did not have to act," Lucci began. "You're disgustingly nice as it is, and the authorities knew that infiltration would be easy because people would trust you. They hadn't considered how betraying them would affect _you, _of course, and I am glad that you behaved accordingly, but I saw the look in your eyes that night."

Kaku didn't answer as he turned back to the window, pressing one hand to the glass and staring out over the treetops. "You think I'm weak."

"No," Lucci replied immediately. "I think that you're innocent."

"Aren't those the same in your world?"

"Strength and weakness come and go, but innocence can never be regained."

"Hmm," Kaku curled his hand into a fist. "Were you ever innocent?"

"I'd like to think not."

"That's only natural," Kaku glanced up, studying Lucci's reflection through the glass window.

"Nakama."

"Yes," Kaku once again marvelled at how easily Lucci could read him as he pondered where this conversation was going.

"When that carpenter…"

"He has a _name, _Lucci."

"And there's your problem," Lucci countered, but when Kaku turned and gave him a baleful look, he relented. "Fine, then. When _Paulie _said that he thought we were all nakama, what did that mean to you?"

"It meant…having something that I never did before. I don't truly understand the word, because I've never _had _any, and when Paulie…he and the other foremen, and Iceburg and…I felt like I belonged there. I felt like what I was doing that night was _wrong, _even though it was my job to do it. I…they don't tell you these sorts of things in training," he finally sighed. "And when Straw-hat Luffy and his crew risked everything just to save Nico Robin, it affected me in a way that perhaps it should not have."

_Are we human, or are we dancer?_

_My sign is vital; my hands are cold_

"You wished that you could point to someone and say that they would do the same for you," Lucci surmised quickly, and Kaku thought that he could _hear _the sneer in the other man's voice. "Perhaps I was wrong. Perhaps you _are _weak."

"Forgive me."

"And perhaps we are all weaker than we claim to be."

Kaku's head snapped up at the words, his eyes widening. "What can you mean by that?"

"Consider this for a moment, Kaku. You already know that we had no obligation to rescue you, and yet we did. You are…valuable to us as a fighter. You are undoubtedly the most proficient at _Rankyaku _as well as having incredible speed and dexterity. It would have been a shame to lose your talents and your Devil's Fruit, and so we held conference and decided that rescuing you would be our best choice."

"I don't need to hear anything else," Kaku waved a dismissive hand. "You came and got me because I'm useful, I understand that…"

"Let me finish, boy," Lucci snarled, a hint of his inner leopard surfacing in his bared teeth. "Yes, we rescued you because you are useful, but there was more to it than that. I volunteered to get you, of course, but I was surprised when none of the others would let me go alone. And what's more, they _all _insisted on going. You're more to them than a number or a tool, Kaku, and simply because we have never had the chance to acquire the bonds that Straw-Hat and his crew have does not mean it is impossible," he finished sternly, crossing his arms.

Kaku smiled at the news, but hadn't failed to listen closely to the older man's words. "I may be more to them than a number, but what am I to you?" He turned fully, meeting Lucci's eyes and wondering a tad fearfully what the answer would be.

"To me?" Lucci stared at him before moving forward, his hand coming to rest lightly on Kaku's shoulder. "You're what I wish I could be. You're what I never had a chance to be. I warned you that once your innocence is gone it can never be replaced, and I now have only one request for you."

"Request? Not an order?" Kaku couldn't resist asking.

"Never orders; not for you. Not anymore. This purity you have…" he moved his hand under Kaku's chin, fingers tipping the young man's face up so that their eyes stayed connected. "Don't lose it."

His hand dropped back to Kaku's shoulder and gave the slightest of squeezes before he turned sharply, walking to the door before saying, "And I expect you to train tomorrow. Just because strength can be compromised does not mean that it has to be."

_No orders, hmm? _Kaku thought as he watched him go, but when he turned back to the window there was a genuine smile on his face. He may never have what those pirates from Enies Lobby had obtained, but he knew that he belonged here, with his…nakama. The word seemed strange in his head, but more than anything else the slight tingling where Lucci's fingers had touched his skin proved to him two things that he had never thought possible. One was that Rob Lucci had a shred of compassion and humanity behind that cold exterior, and the other was that, despite everything he had been taught and everything that he believed, there were people that liked him for _him. _

And that may have been the greatest revelation in his twenty-three years of life.

_And I'm on my knees looking for the answer._

_Are we human, or are we dancer?_

_Are we human_

_Or are we dancer? _

**This piece was very enjoyable to write, mainly because I've never written any CP9-centric stuff before. I've never really written Kaku POV either, so that was exciting, and because these guys are practically as crazy as the Straw-Hats in their own way, it gave me a bit of a different perspective on their characters as a whole. Plus they're fun. **

**I thought the song lyrics were quite fitting, and…in an odd way, so was the situation for me. A year ago today I hit the lowest low of my life and was seriously considering ending it but had family and friend support to bring me back, and I haven't really looked back since. So maybe that's why Kaku came out the way he did, but regardless, I'm happy with it. **

**Drop me a review on the way out:)**


	5. Brilliant

**Disclaimer: One Piece is not mine, and neither is the song "Brilliant," which is by David Usher**

**Title: Brilliant**

**Rating: T**

**Warnings: Yaoi and angstiness, unrequited feelings**

**Pairings: ZoroxSanji, SanjixNami, one-sided LuffyxNami (what? More het than slash mentioned?)**

**Spoilers: None really**

**Word Count: 2897**

**Brilliant**

_So far so good, stumble through life_

_So complicated it's nearly impossible. _

_And I lost my way, like I knew I would_

_Keep it together somehow anyway. _

It seemed so long ago, a nameless place and a nameless time when it had started. Quick, midnight flings in the storage area between watches, because one didn't care and the other wouldn't dare defile anything that so much as resembled a woman. Not that the two specimens on board were anything _short _of perfect feminine beauty, but long stretches between ports tended to get under your skin and remind you that you're a _pirate, _darn it, and pirates don't have normal, settled lives. Pirates have quick flings with barmaids in town or participate in that sinful act that the Marines expressly told everyone would send you straight to the devil when your time came.

He wasn't sure he believed that stuff about the devil, but he was pretty much screwed either way, at this point. Their individual dreams had brought them where they had wanted to go in the end; at least, if you looked at 'dreams' as merely the greatest thing they wished to achieve. But everyone has more than one dream, and right now there was nothing left for him…or her…but the union of two broken hearts that could never be made whole again.

The Pirate King was newly crowned, and while nothing he ever said or did could be taken as malicious, the fact is that he broke his would-be Queen's heart by merely being himself. How was he to know that she wanted him with such burning conviction, when all he really knew was how to be a child? And so, with her heart broken, she had turned to the one person that she knew would never cast her away.

And he hadn't. But gone were the elongated a's and heart-shaped eyes and senseless wiggling that had previously pervaded every conversation between them; the idolized hero-worship of the female form and the conviction never to imagine the concept of being with one in such an intimate way, and in their place was a man who had seen too much of the world and yet still ended up having everything he had worked for kicked in his face.

He had a beautiful wife, a beautiful child, a successful restaurant on the All Blue, and everything a man could ever wish for. But he wasn't happy. Hadn't been happy since _that day_. The day that dawned fair like any other, but instead of a crew of nine sitting down to breakfast, there had only been eight.

And all there was to explain the suspicious absence was a note. A _note. _The words were ingrained permanently in his head; not because they were for him, but precisely because they _weren't. _

_I know where Mihawk is. Will come back when I've beaten him. Zoro. _

That was it. That was _it, _when the night before he had acted like nothing was wrong, and he had known. He _had _to have known what the morning would bring, and to just shrug it off…

But that was nearly five years ago, now, and he hadn't returned. Frankly, it didn't matter if he was dead, not at this point. He was dead anyway as far as the cook was concerned. No, all he craved was some closure. You'd think that news of Mihawk's defeat would travel quickly, but so far nothing had come of it.

_All those faces, friends, those memories fade so fast_

And what of the others? Gone, too. There was nobody left, no Mugiwara pirate crew to strike fear into the hearts of enemies while having a good laugh about it themselves. Gone was the strong bond of _nakama, _a word that transcended relationships and meant so much more than friends, or comrades, or crewmates. It meant all of those, and above all it meant family, and nobody cared whether they were truly related, because they were _nakama. _

Well, where were his _nakama _now, he thought bitterly. Of course he still heard from them, often in the beginning and now with ever-increasing rarity, until sometimes it seemed that the days he spent as part of the Straw-Hat Pirate crew were merely a dream. He knew they weren't, of course; the 'wanted' posters displayed in one of his private rooms proved that; but sometimes it felt like maybe he hadn't known any of them as well as he had claimed to.

_Through a million days, through a million hazy nights_

_We sit, amusing in our politics_

_Through wine and talk, through sex and art we fill our time_

_And numb ourselves with what's to come_

It had all been so easy. Too easy, really, when he was just finishing up dishes in the galley after a late dinner and the swordsman had ambled in, sitting at the table and demanding a drink. He was never given the expensive rum, though, and he complained about the 'froofy wine you drink all the time, honestly, are you sure you're not a woman?', but he never said no to drinking it.

And maybe that's why he had convinced himself that the green-haired idiot had felt the same. Because Zoro never got drunk, not unless there were several barrels of rum involved, so no way was a half a bottle of wine going to do the trick. He himself could feel the flush heating his cheeks after that much, however, and one night when simple (and it was normally simple with Zoro, unless he was feeling particularly inspired) conversation failed and a kiss was shared over the table, he had felt that surely there was something more between them than simple nakama-ship. In his mind, Zoro would never have done something so intimate and personal sober if he had not believed in it; because Zoro was a man of conviction, and when he hadn't run off to train after but had lain beside the cook on the galley floor, calloused fingers kneading lightly at his hip and breath warm on his neck, that had been all the confirmation he had needed.

What a fool he was.

And when it had kept on, whenever they were free at night or passed each other during the day, he was sure beyond a doubt that this…_this_ was special, seeing Zoro's dark eyes clouded with lust (and what he had then believed to be love) as he moved, and it had become so much more than just a release of tension. They were, for all extents and purposes, making love more often than not, and Zoro never complained that it was too gentle, too feminine for his liking. Zoro was also a blunt man, and he knew that if the swordsman had been at all off-put by the situation, a fight would have been immediately initiated.

_But I'm older now, got a little girl of my own_

_And her fears are my fears, too_

They had named her Hikari. Light. Because she _was, _the beacon in their lives that showed them all the good in the world; the guiding lighthouse that led their way when the night seemed the longest. It was unspoken between them, that Hikari came first, before anything else that may have thrown its way into their daily activities.

Because he loved Nami, and he knew that she loved him in return, which made it somehow all the worse. Because they weren't lying to each other, not in the way that the word 'lying' was generally perceived, but neither were they telling the entire truth. It was just accepted that they each still held the most important spot in their hearts for somebody else, and when he lamented how unfair life was, he never felt sorry for himself. He felt sorry for _her_, because he was destined to fail from the start. His name meant tragedy, and that's what his life had been. But they would stay together, keep up pretences (they were really good friends, after all) and their daughter would never know the heartache that both of her parents harboured deep in their souls.

_Woke up from an impossible dream,_

_And we talked, and we spoke, and we drank, and we sang_

_And we danced, and we live, and we love, and we give_

He thought he was hallucinating when the familiar _clomp-clomp _of heavy-soled boots sounded on the deck behind him, but when the wind blew and carried the familiar jingle of triple chimes and the overwhelming scent of steel and sword-polish to him, he forced himself to remain steady and stared out at the ocean, proud of the lack of reaction from his body even as firm hands settled on his hips and a low voice growled in his ear.

"So, did you miss me, love-cook?"

"Five years." His voice sounded strange in the stillness, smoker's rasp more pronounced after their time apart. He was killing himself slowly, lungs tarring up and one day he would no longer be able to breathe, but it would be later rather than sooner. "Five years to find one man?"

"He kept moving."

"You got lost." It was easy, so _easy_ to fall into the familiar banter that had always preceded every activity between them, be it fighting or sex, and he felt a tension begin to build in his chest.

"Maybe. But I found him, and I beat him, and I came back, like I said."

It was too much, too _fast. _And how could Zoro make it sound so _simple? _Only in his mind. Only in _his mind_ could this relationship follow such a well-marked path. He expected everything to be the same. Expected that time wasn't a factor, that they had slept together the night before he left and they would sleep together now. That was the only way it could be, after all. "I'm not some kind of _katana, _you moron."

"Hmm?"

"What? You think I'm like a sword? That you can drop me and walk away for five years and then when you return I'll be _right there _where you left me, ready to use and leave again at _your _convenience?" he kept his voice calm. Raising it would lead to a fight, and he didn't want to fight. He needed to find out. He needed to…

"Oi, what's the matter?" Zoro sounded confused. "Sanji…"

"I have a kid."

"You what?"

There. That did it. That threw a wrench in Zoro's perfectly stable life, and Sanji took a perverse sort of pleasure in it. "Nami-san and I are married. We have a daughter," he said, perfectly calmly.

"Heh. Always knew you'd bang her when you got the chance, even with all your loud-mouthing about chivalry. So how did you get her to fall for you?" Zoro sounded smug, and Sanji knew that he was still expecting this conversation to end in sex.

"I didn't. She doesn't love me."

"Then…"

"She loves Luffy," Sanji replied vaguely, wondering how Zoro would take it, but the swordsman merely grunted and shrugged it off. This wasn't doing him any good, and unless he could get Zoro thinking with his brain and not…other parts of his anatomy, this conversation would be endless. "Why didn't you tell me you were leaving?"

"What does it matter?"

"You left a _note, aho-bushido. _And it wasn't even addressed to me," Sanji didn't bother to keep the bitterness from his voice this time.

"I thought…"

"What? Thought I'd stop you? You're a real idiot, you know. Why did we follow Luffy in the first place? To reach our dreams. And if you thought for one second that I'd consider whatever little fling we had more important than your dream, you didn't know me very well at all. A big part of any relationship is trust, and you proved that you didn't trust me enough to tell me," he nearly spat the last words, tensing this time as Zoro's grip on his hips tightened.

"'M sorry."

And again, that tone. That tone that said, 'so that's it, right? We're good again?' and expected everything to revert to normalcy.

_Without question or faith, then we fight 'til we hate_

_And we hope, and we pray that this violence will fade_

_It's always the same, it's the same life._

And maybe it would have been easier if Zoro hadn't felt so _good _against him. He found himself leaning back almost unconsciously and had to fight to remember his purpose. He couldn't let himself be swept away by the tidal wave of emotions roiling in his chest, not now and perhaps not ever again. "Do you know what your problem is, Roronoa Zoro?" he finally forced out, feeling the body behind him stiffen. "You only know two things: ambition and duty. Either it's something that will benefit you, or it's something that will benefit others while _still _being something that you feel you have to do."

"That isn't true, and you know it." Zoro's voice was low, a growl, and his lips found Sanji's neck as the blonde arched it unwittingly. "But I still don't get why you shacked up with the sea witch. I thought you loved me."

And that did it. That was the final straw, and Sanji felt his heart break all over again. Because if Zoro didn't understand; couldn't see that two people suffering from the worst depression they could encounter are prone to making rash decisions to numb the pain, then he hadn't known heartbreak. If he couldn't fathom that the human mind will sometimes take any out it could find to replace, if only temporarily, the complete and utter bone-chilling _loss _of being abandoned, then he had never loved. And if he couldn't answer that question, Sanji couldn't take him back, because that would be a worse lie than pretending that he and Nami would be blissfully happy together. He spun around and gazed at the other man for the first time, moulding his will to steel and looking into those dark eyes, for once not caring if Zoro saw that his own were wet and sparkling in the moonlight.

He stared at Zoro for a full minute before grabbing him by the back of the neck and crushing their mouths together for what he almost knew would be the last time, relishing the fight that occurred even then. It was so familiar, _too _familiar, and still far, _far _too easy to run his hands over the corded muscles in Zoro's arms, kneading the other man's skin with slender fingers and gripping harder as breath dwindled, only to separate with a gasp and join again, tongues warring against each other as Zoro held him close, and he ran his fingers through that _marimo _hair one final time before finally drawing back, letting his head rest on Zoro's shoulder as tears coursed down his face and wet the white fabric of Zoro's shirt.

"I _do _love you," he finally admitted. "But I don't believe you love me."

"What…"

"Don't say anything. Just let me finish," Sanji put a finger to the other man's lips. "The last thing I need right now is to confuse my daughter, and I would never, _ever _abandon Nami-san just because sleeping with you sates me. If you can ever give me an answer as to why Nami-san and I sought out each other even though we're both already in love, find me and tell me. Otherwise, this is goodbye," he made to draw away, but Zoro tightened his arms and held him steady, staring into those eyes that had known too much heartache and seen too much joy fade away. "I have to get back. She'll be waiting."

And Zoro let him go, but not before catching his hand and pressing a kiss to the palm, a gesture so gentle that Sanji felt his heart clench all over again. He maintained the contact for a few more seconds before walking away, lighting a cigarette and moving into the shadow of a doorway as he watched Zoro stare after him for a few moments before hopping over the rail and out of sight.

But in the morning when he went out to start breakfast preparations, he found a note stuck to the deck with a small dagger.

_I'll be back sooner than you think, love-cook. And I'm bringing that Pirate King with me. Sorry for last time, hope this makes up for it. And if this ache in my chest isn't just old battle wounds acting up, then maybe it was love all along. I won't ask you to wait for me this time, but I think you will anyway. Say hi to Nami for me. Zoro. _

Sanji clenched the note in his fist and looked at the sunrise, for the first time in years feeling the faintest stirrings of hope start to penetrate his shell of despair. Zoro was obtuse and hard-headed, but he wasn't stupid, and after all, Sanji was rarely wrong, so the thought that Zoro may have been in love with him all along was comforting.

He believed Zoro would be back, but he wasn't holding his breath.

After all, first the idiot would have to _find _this place again.

_Is it brilliant where you are, where the lights are low?_

_Is it brilliant where you are, where the lights are low? _

**Wow, this fic was a doozy to write!!! I went through about three possible endings: the first being that everything was sunshine and roses again (I'm a sucker for happy endings) and the second being complete and utter "we'll never see each other again ANGST!!!" In the end, I settled for angst with just a hint of hopefulness at the end, because that seems to be where this fic took me. I hope you all enjoyed, and don't forget to leave a review!! **

**This is the last song-fic I have written at the time, and school is pretty hectic right now, but hopefully I'll get some more cranked out sooner rather than later!! **


	6. That's What You Get

**Disclaimer: "One Piece" isn't mine, and the song "That's What You Get" is performed by Paramore.**

**Title: That's What You Get**

**Rating: T**

**Warnings: Yaoi and (omigosh) het, very mild threesome**

**Pairings: ZoNaSa, and any and all combinations of that**

**Spoilers: Nope**

**Word Count: 2956**

**(This is the first of this group of pairings that I've ever written, and pretty much some of the first real het I've written, too. What is the world coming to?)**

**That's What You Get**

_No, sir, well I don't wanna be the blame, _

_Not anymore_

_It's your turn, so take a seat_

_We're settling the final score_

The first time it was Zoro. Her excuse was that they must have both been drunk, because that was the only logical explanation for…whatever happened that night. After all, it took an awful lot of strong rum to get Zoro drunk, and she could hold more than him and remembered being pretty tipsy.

She supposed it was their own fault for falling asleep in the galley, because the cut-off, strangled snarl that woke her up the next morning was something that she could have easily gone through life never having heard. She honestly thought that Sanji was going to kill the swordsman, because she had _never _seen him that angry.

And, to be fair, she supposed that the fact both of them were dressed down to their underwear probably didn't give out the best impression, but she was pretty sure she would have remembered anything happening. It didn't make sense, anyway. After all, it was _Zoro. _Zoro didn't like women…or, at least, not in her experiences with him.

"What's your problem, pervert-cook?!"

"Sanji-kun, don't!" she yelled, actually a little afraid for the green-haired man's life. Sanji had him backed against the wall, one deadly foot raised to his throat, and Nami knew perfectly well that even from _that _position he could gain enough speed to crush the other man's windpipe. "It's not…"

"Not what I think? Then what is it?" he glanced at her briefly, not even going into convulsions at the sight of her in her undergarments. "I thought…I…" he visibly deflated, the fight going out of him as he slumped against the wall, leg splayed out at an awkward angle as he slammed his palm against the wood and let his forehead rest on the cool planks.

"Sanji-kun?" Nami stood up, a tad worried about the blonde man. "I promise, we didn't do anything. We were drunk, and…"

"So how can you know, then?" his voice was dead. "Stupid idiot _Marimo," _he directed this at Zoro, who met his gaze without flinching. "I have to get breakfast started before Luffy comes barging in. Get dressed," he pushed himself away from the wall and went over to the stove, lighting a cigarette with shaking hands as Nami wondered why the whole situation made her so sick.

_And why do we like to hurt so much?_

_I can't decide, you have made it harder just to go on_

_And why, all the possibilities…_

_Well, I was wrong._

The second time it was Sanji. Predictably, she guessed, although it really couldn't have happened any other way with the cook moping the way he was. The entire crew had noticed it, and while Nami tried to get them to look at other things, the fact remained that Sanji no longer lit up and spewed hearts around her. Robin, yes, but not her, and it didn't take long for anyone to notice.

"You have to talk to him," Zoro had grunted to her one time, 'asleep' on the deck as he pillowed his hands behind his head and stretched out.

"It's your fault, too," she had replied, crossing her arms and staring down at him. Of course, it was easy to see why they had done…whatever they had done that night. Zoro was attractive; there was no getting around that. Tanned and well-muscled and completely, utterly _masculine_. Even the earrings, which on some men would have made them effeminate, made him look tougher. He was someone who knew how to take care of himself and at the same time would give everything up just to protect somebody else, and she admired that. "Why don't _you _talk to him?"

"Che. Like he'd listen to me," Zoro scoffed. "Just apologize. He'll go back to normal soon enough."

And with that, the oaf really _had _fallen asleep, so Nami toed him lightly in the side before walking off to the galley. "Sanji-kun?" She opened the door and found it empty, so she headed off to the men's bunk and stopped inside the room. He was laid out on the couch, one leg thrown over the back and looking completely and utterly…wait, she did _not _just think he was…not…

"Nami-san?"

She started, glancing to see one blue eye looking at her from beneath a fall of golden hair. "I…can I talk to you for a moment, Sanji-kun?"

"Of course," he sat up, his shirt shifting fluidly so that she could see it was unbuttoned and untucked, hanging loose around his body. Her eyes were immediately drawn to his pale skin, because while the other male members of the crew saw no problem in wandering about on deck with shirts hanging open or gone altogether, Sanji was always well-dressed. He noticed her eyes and reached to button the shirt up but she waved him off, admiring his well-toned abs, because while Sanji may have looked almost feminine, he was in wonderful shape. "What is it, Nami-san?"

"I wanted to apologize again for the other day," she moved farther into the room and shut the door gently behind her. "But there's really nothing between Zoro and I…I'm sure you know that."

"I do, I just…I thought…" he paused and ran a hand through his hair, messing it slightly as he chewed thoughtfully on his bottom lip. "Forgive me, Nami-san, I've been most unkind to you this past week. If there's anything at all I can do to make it up to you, you only need to let me know."

_That's what you get when you let your heart win_

_I drowned out all my sense with the sound of its beating_

And still, his voice stayed low and even and no dramatics were in sight. She looked at him intently as if seeing him for the first time, and something in her chest tightened. Was this what it took, then? Did his heart have to be broken for him to act normal around women? And why did it make him so…_sexy? _Wait, no, she hadn't just admitted that! Just because he was blonde and fair and slender and had gorgeous legs and…

"I'll leave you be," he stood and moved to the door, but she stepped in front of him.

"Wait."

Her hand involuntarily came up, resting on the bare skin of his chest. She glanced up, meeting his blue eyes, and moved her other hand to play with his hair, sliding it around to cup the back of his neck. He stayed frozen the entire time, waiting for her to make the first move, and she stood on her tiptoes to press her lips lightly against his; pulling back after a second when he didn't respond. "Nami-san, I don't want your pity," he said, his voice a whisper.

"It…it's not, Sanji-kun," she assured him, taking a deep breath and letting her head lay against his shoulder. "You know I care about you…"

"As _Nakama. _I know," he slowly moved an arm to circle her back and held her steady. "I don't expect anything from you, Nami-san."

"But you love me?" she glanced up, brown eyes meeting blue as he nodded. "Then give me a chance."

"A chance?" he still looked defeated.

"Yes," she slowly slid her fingers up his bared torso, noting the shiver her actions produced, and manoeuvred the shirt off of his shoulder, continuing to explore his body. Reaching for his mouth again, he met her this time, and she pushed him back until his knees hit the couch and he fell onto it, climbing onto his lap as she continued to kiss him. It wasn't at all like kissing an ashtray, as she had feared it might be. The tang of smoke was there, but there was an aura of salt and spice about him that was undeniably alluring.

"N-Nami-san!" he pulled back with a gasp, his eyes wide. "You can't have meant that!"

"And why not, Sanji-kun?" she asked pleasantly, idly drawing patterns on his shoulder. "If you feel so strongly about me, the least you can do it give me a chance to find out if I feel the same."

But Sanji still looked unconvinced, even as he lay down and stretched out his long legs, inviting her to lay on top of him as she tucked her head under his chin. She didn't normally nap in the middle of the day; that was Zoro's thing, after all, but Sanji was warm and smelt nice and she had to wonder again why she hadn't noticed it before.

That; and why, when she was finally willing to give him a chance, he didn't want to take it.

_I wonder, how am I supposed to live when you're not here?_

'_Cause I've burned every bridge I ever built when you were here_

_I still try holding on to silly things, I never learn_

_Oh why, all the possibilities…I'm sure you've heard_

The third time was when she found out the answer. It was about a week later, and she swore that her brain stopped working for a few seconds before she could process the sight that greeted her when she entered the galley one night for a glass of water. Of course, it all made sense in the end: the reason Sanji was completely devastated to find Zoro and her together was that _both _of his options…

Hang on.

_BOTH???_

Of course, there was no denying the fact that what she was seeing was real, even _if _it had never occurred to her (except maybe in her wildest fantasies) to see Zoro pinning the cook against the wall with his tongue down the blonde's throat.

And Sanji was _enjoying _it, one leg hooked around Zoro's waist as he kissed back with a passion that Nami knew all along he had in him, even when he could have been a statue that night in the bunkroom. A moan slid out of Sanji's throat, the sound making Nami's hair stand on end as Zoro ground their hips together and Sanji clutched at his shoulder.

She should leave. She should really, really, leave before…

The sight of Sanji's lust-filled, hazy eyes drew a gasp from her throat as he froze, the tensing of his muscles clueing Zoro in to the fact that something was wrong, and he looked over to Nami as well. Sanji tried to get away from the wall, but Zoro pinned him there with an arm across his chest.

"S-Sanji-kun? Zoro?" she asked quietly. "I…I didn't know that…"

"Yeah," Zoro grunted. "Guess you thought the stupid cook was all bent out of shape because you were with me that night, but it was really the other way around."

"Nami-san…" Sanji looked truly apologetic, but Nami wasn't having any of it.

"Then what _was _that the other night! You said that you loved me!" she protested, seemingly forgetting that she had never returned the sentiment.

"I do," he assured her. "But I lo…don't mind Zoro either, and he doesn't mind me, so it's better."

_Better…_

She couldn't process any more of this, so she turned on her heel and fled, slamming the door behind her as she walked bleakly to the rail and held her head in her hands. Was it really true, then? Was Sanji more upset with her than Zoro? Was he really in _love _with Zoro? It shouldn't have bothered her, but with recent observations and drunken and painful kisses, it had started to, until the answer hit her with a veritable shock.

_She _was the onein love.

With both of them.

_Hey, make your way to me; to me_

_And I'll always be just so inviting_

_If I ever start to think straight, _

_This heart will start a riot in me. _

She wasn't sure how long she stood at the rail before the smell of tobacco smoke reached her, but she didn't turn, even when a gentle hand was laid on her shoulder. "Nami-san?"

"I'm fine, Sanji-kun."

"No, you're not. I've made my angel cry, and for that I'll never…"

"Sanji-kun, it's _fine," _she gripped the railing almost angrily, and although she wasn't crying, she was certainly close. Her head came up suddenly when she felt a pair of arms wrap around her from and a forehead drop onto her shoulder from behind.

"S-Sanji-kun?"

"I'm a horrible person."

"No. No, you aren't," she put her hands on top of his and let her cheek rest against soft blonde hair. "I've been selfish."

"No! Nami-san is kind and generous and…"

"Shut up and let her talk, cook."

Nami turned as much as she could to see Zoro standing with his arms crossed and a bottle of sake in his hand.

"Then don't interrupt her, idiot!"

"Both of you shut it," Nami growled, and Sanji nuzzled her shoulder in apology. "I _have _been selfish. I guess I'm so used to you fawning over me that I automatically assumed that if I ever had some notion to return your feelings, that would be the end of it. I never could have guessed that you would have found someone else in the meantime."

"Nami-san, if it's between you and the _Marimo, _there's no doubt that…"

"You love him, Sanji-kun."

"Nami-san, don't be ridiculous."

"Well, if that's how you feel, idiot eyebrow, I guess I can go find somebody else."

Nami felt Sanji flinch against her, could imagine his dumbfounded expression at the seemingly indifferent words. And she knew, from that reaction. She _knew. _

_Why do we like to hurt so much?_

_Oh, why do we like to hurt so much?_

"Let go of me, Sanji-kun," she said softly, although she was mildly surprised when he complied and she turned around, reaching a hand up to softly cup his face. "This is how it's meant to be," she drew him closer and pressed a small kiss against his lips before attempting to walk away, but he caught her wrist and stared at her with haunted blue eyes.

"Don't make me choose, Nami-san. Please don't make me choose."

"You have to," she felt those traitorous tears welling up again, and tried to wrench her hand away. "You _have _to choose, Sanji-kun!"

"No, he doesn't."

Nami glanced up in shock, but Zoro's face was serious, his dark eyes filled with a grim intensity that she normally only saw in the swordsman before a fight. "Look, what happened between us may have been a one-off, but out of everything that's happened to us since we started sailing with Luffy, I'd say being in love with two people isn't all that strange. Nami, you're a conniving, money-hungry witch, but I know you care about all of us in your own way, and you'd have to be blind to not see that idiot over there thinks the world of you. I don't know what you see in me, and I don't know what he sees in me _or _what I see in him, but it's enough."

"Enough for what, Zoro?" Nami asked softly as Sanji finally released her wrist, and she gasped when the swordsman came and gave her a brief hug.

"It's enough for me. Maybe none of us are meant to love or be loved exclusively. As long as it doesn't get in the way of my goal, it doesn't matter to me," he let go of her and stepped back, tilting his head to the side so that the setting sun caught his earrings and made them send glittering golden spots across the deck. "Now the two of you just have to decide if it works."

"Sanji-kun?" Nami turned to the blonde, who was looking rather lost as he fiddled with an unlit cigarette.

"I don't want to choose," he finally admitted. "But if you feel cheated in the slightest, Nami-san, tell me, because…"

He was shut up rather nicely by Zoro's lips, Nami thought, and she watched the two of them grip onto each other and make out rather unashamedly in front of her, Sanji's hair darkened to a burnished amber in the last rays of sunlight. Her heart clenched when she realized how long this had to have been going on right under her nose, and how she could never bring herself to come between them.

But then, she didn't have to, did she? They were willing to compromise, and as long as in the end Zoro still paid his interest and Sanji still catered to her every whim, what harm could it do?

"Okay." Her voice sounded loud in the stillness.

"_Yes?" _Sanji looked elated, hearts starting to appear in the air around him as he wiggled in Zoro's arms. "_My Nami-swan said yes?!" _ And Nami never would have guessed that she could be _happy _to see the cook acting like a fool, but she truly was.

"Do you need to get your hearing checked, _baka-_cook?" Zoro looked exasperated. "Oi, Nami, get over here then."

So as the sun disappeared behind the horizon, she took both of their hands and gave them a radiant smile, and if there were tears in her eyes now they were tears of happiness. They ended up in a pile on the deck, watching the stars in (for once) blissful silence.

At least, until Sanji accused Zoro of hogging Nami's attention and tried to kick him, which resulted in both of them nursing aching heads thanks to her ever-loving 'Fists of Death.'

Things were never dull when you sailed with the Straw-Hat Pirates, after all.

And she wouldn't have it any other way.

_Now I can't trust myself with anything but this,_

_And that's what you get when you let your heart win._

**ZoNaSa is one of my favorite OT3s in One Piece, even though I've never before written it. This story was interesting because first of all I've had it mostly written for a couple of months, but I could **_**not **_**get the last two sections. They came to me in a rush tonight so I got them down, and overall I'm quite happy with it! **

**The style of writing is a little different from my norm because it's all Nami POV, so it was fun to write her. I also realized how OOC is nearly necessary to get these three together, and yet for me it still **_**works **_**when I read fics with them. Huh. **

**Anyway, hope you all enjoyed, and drop me a review:)**


	7. Sacrificial Love

**Disclaimer: One Piece is not mine, and the song "Sacrificial Love" is performed by Clay Aiken (you're all laughing at me now, aren't you?)**

**Title: Sacrificial Love**

**Rating: T for implications and non-explicitness**

**Pairing: Something along the lines of ZoSanZo, call it what you will**

**Warnings: Angstiness, mostly. **

**Spoilers: Thriller Bark**

**Word Count: 2381**

**Sacrificial Love**

_Sometimes I feel like I'm chasin' the shadows in your eyes_

_Losin' my footing and lookin' for something I recognize_

Looking back on it, I realize that it wasn't really that long ago when 'it' started. 'It' being this thing we have; this intangible and unnameable thing that both of us refuse to acknowledge outside of darkened rooms and locked doors. But to me, for some reason, it isn't enough. Oh, I know the protocol that supposedly exists on ships calls for it to be secret, but really, _I'm _the one who was raised by an ornery one-legged pirate with a nasty habit of kicking people through walls. I think I know more about ship life than you, and yet here you are telling me oh-so-bluntly with your actions that we're nothing to each other in the light of day.

Crewmembers.

_Nakama, _perhaps, but in the loosest sense of the term.

The 'comrade' sense, not the 'closer-than-siblings' sense. You look at the crew as your family, I know: they all fit into a specific role chosen by you. And yet where am I in that? Nowhere. Just the black-legged black-sheep of your little inner circle. Maybe I have enough to merit distant-cousin-by-marriage or some such tripe, but honestly I sometimes get the feeling that I'm not even that.

_You tell me you're here for forever,_

_But act like you're passin' through_

_Which one's the real you?_

I've never deluded myself with notions of 'eternal love' and 'forever' and all of the utter BS they tell you about in stories; that's not my style. I can fantasize all I want about every single woman I meet, but I _know _reality is still there, still waiting to jump in at the worst possible moment and remind me that hey, life is pretty much a pile of sea-cow dung and I'm never going to get any of those ladies into my bed.

Because as much as I hate to admit it, _this _is forever. 'This' being some fantastical notion that even though you have the most horrid sense of direction known to mankind, you somehow always find your way back. Somehow living with you day in and day out through everything, though in reality it hasn't even been a year, has made me pretty sure that I can never go back to my old life. And it's sad, sad in the most pathetic sense of the word that I consider this one-sided non-relationship essential to my sanity.

And I _know _that I'm not the most important person in your life; there are at least three that rank far higher than me on that scale. Mihawk, Luffy, and whoever gave you that sword. D'you know that you talk in your sleep? Mutter her name over and over some nights: Kuina. And I know that you can't hear me or I'd be facing the pointy end of that darn white sword of yours; _her _sword, but I'm staring at you through the galley window, and I should be getting dinner ready but my hands are too unstable to even light a cigarette at the moment, sweaty and shaky and clutching the counter like it's the only thing holding me to life.

Because it's something I've never really thought of before, but you're more concerned with honouring somebody who's dead than you are your own crewmate whom you see and sneer at every day. And somehow in that moment I know that when Luffy finally agrees to let you hunt down Mihawk, I won't see you again.

_I know when we started, I kind of talked you into this_

_I was good for the moment, but now something's missing from your kiss_

I can freely admit to making the first move, and I wasn't drunk or angry or even particularly horny, but Thriller Bark opened my eyes. My body acted before I was even fully conscious, and by the time I was completely in control of my actions I had already offered myself in your place. Because of your dream, I guess: because I've seen Mihawk with my own eyes and I _know _that he's real and out there and you've gotten better and you're going to beat him.

You will.

I'll read about it in some newspaper, probably.

On the All Blue?

Feh, who knows. And that's the difference between us: you know exactly what you're training toward, and all I know is that somewhere in the world there may possibly be a section of the Grand Line where the currents run _just _right and fish from every ocean gather. And it's not just you: it's all of you. You _all _have something that you can work toward, and me? I'm just drifting with the current, hoping one day I'll bumble right into it.

I probably told you that when you were lying there, swathed in bandages and pale as death, my hand resting once more without my knowledge on your bare shoulder. You were sleeping, but not unconscious anymore, and for whatever reason some part of me decided that because, subconsciously I cared, it was time to do something to show it.

How this equated to my lips on yours has never really been something I thought about.

How this equated to your lips pressing back hasn't either, I guess, and the fact that as soon as you were healed to Chopper's satisfaction the galley got a new 'christening' simply seemed to be a natural chain of events.

But you stopped the kissing thing pretty quickly, and now if I try all I get is a growl and my head shoved toward other parts of your anatomy. I…

Curses. I've never really been one to cry, but every now and then the tears will just come. Like when I left the _Baratie _that day. But now is _not _the time for this, and I pick up a knife and drag over some asparagus to peel; something simple so that my mind can wander for a little longer.

Maybe I should have chosen onions instead.

At least that way I could make an excuse for the tears.

_I see you lying beside me, but I feel you movin' on_

_Which one's the real you?_

If someone didn't know you the way I do, they would call you lazy. Heck, you _are _lazy, but I know for a fact that out of the twenty hours a day you normally spend 'napping,' you're only really asleep for about six. You're always tense, always waiting for danger and ready to snap out of your façade in an instant with drawn blades.

It's the same when you come to me to ask if we can meet up later in the galley or the storage locker or occasionally the training room, the lines of your body screaming tension that doesn't ever let up, not even when you're lying beside me on whatever scrap of blanket we can procure with your arm stiffly around my waist. And I can't help but wonder which one of these days you'll leave as soon as it's over and let me lie there alone.

I angrily scrub my sleeve across my eyes and sniff, feeling like a…well, that analogy is bunk regardless, isn't it? I'm nineteen. I _am _a teenager, but sometimes it feels like I've been alive for thirty years or more. And no matter how much I try to deny it, I _am _crying now.

Glancing up, I notice that you have stopped your masochistic weight-training and have disappeared, and the clomp of footsteps behind me makes me tense. You can't be coming in here; not now…You'll know that I'm…

_Do I have to spill my tears? Teach you how to say goodbye?_

_If that's not what I am to you, than what am I?_

"Oi, cook. Got any sake in that liquor cabinet?"

"Go. Away." I brace myself on the counter once more, blinking and blinking and _blinking _and _why won't the tears stop? _I give a little hiccupy sob, cursing everything from you to the asparagus because now there's no way to hide the fact that I'm crying.

So I don't, and I bend over the counter and sob into my sleeve, choking out "I told you to _go away!" _

I expect to hear footsteps then, and when I don't, it surprises me for a moment before your hands encircle my chest and your lips press into my hair, the shock of the gesture drying the tears instantly. "Z-Zoro?"

"Sanji," you say stiffly, and a jolt shoots through my body. You've _never _called me by name during any intimate moments, preferring to use 'cook' or something equally impersonal, so the fact that now, _now _you're…

I take a deep breath and turn to face you, reaching and not expecting anything until your lips press gently against mine, a touch before you remember yourself and move your mouth away, tongue lapping up the trails left by salty tears.

"Zoro?"

"Hmm?"

And I feel foolish for asking, but…"When you go to face Mihawk, will you come back?"

"Dunno."

As expected from you, you tell only the blunt truth. And of course you don't know, but the subtlety of my question apparently gets through. Your silence after that one word tells me everything I need to know, and it is and it _isn't _enough at the same time. Yes, you might return: your loyalty to Luffy will inevitably draw you back, but that hardly means you'll come back to _me. _If you find a swordsman or a swordswoman; somebody more like you who doesn't wear designer double-breasted suits or obsess whether or not their hair falls over their left eye just so, then the answer will be 'no.' If you don't, it may be 'yes' temporarily, but never for forever. And I have to live with the fact that one day you might not come back to me, and it's up to me whether or not I let it affect my life.

But it won't be for a while. Not until Luffy finds the One Piece. Not…

Your lips are on mine again and aren't leaving, and I let myself lean into your broad chest and return the kiss, letting you set the pace. You back off and lick at my lips quickly. "You have dinner to make."

"Yeah, I…"

"Later?" Your hand gently squeezes my bicep, and I place my slender fingers over your rougher, blunter ones and nod.

_Are you only practicing until you find the real thing;_

_Taking up space until you find yourself that perfect face?_

I'll never have your upper body strength; I know that. You're built like a wall, after all, and I'm just a whip; a reed waving in the wind, holding on by the strength of my roots.

They're strong roots, and I know my legs will never fail me, but you can get new weapons, no matter how much that white sword means to you. My weapons are always with me, but if anything happens, I can't get replacements. I'm breakable, and no matter what, I can't let you decide whether or not that reed snaps.

That doesn't mean I can't enjoy myself now, though, and maybe it's better to enjoy every moment we have together rather than worry about the time when it won't ever happen again.

When I go to meet you in the crow's nest during your watch, you don't say a word; just draw me in and hold me to you, kiss my neck and unbutton my shirt with care I hadn't realized you had in you.

You let me top that night, for the first time, somehow knowing that I need to prove myself in this relationship. When we both come down from that high together, your face presses into my shoulder, saying my name like a mantra, and I whisper yours just as fervently as our breathing slows.

You aren't tense tonight. There's no illogical tightening of your muscles, no fear that you could bolt at a moment's notice. "Aren't you on watch?" I slur, and you give me a quick squeeze.

"Asked Robin to cover it," is your mumbled reply. "Figure she can keep it a secret."

I bite my lip, once more amazed at how insightful you're being. Of course, it's hard to hide something like this from the crew no matter how hard we try, but I don't question the change. Right now, I just want to go to sleep, so I shift and close my eyes, nuzzling against your shoulder and sighing contentedly.

"Oi, Sanji?"

And now it seems my name is all you know, but I can hardly complain about it. "Yeah?"

"Why were you crying?"

I pause, wondering whether or not to tell the truth, before I begin. "I…"

"Were you worried about me leaving?"

"Stupid Marimo! Don't interrupt me!" I nudge your leg with mine, but I really don't feel like fighting. The truth it is, then, if you're going to be mulish about it. "Yes. Okay? Yes. I'm afraid of getting attached to us…_this_…because…"

"Stop worrying," is your reply as your arms tighten around me. "None of us can predict the future, you know. So stop obsessing over things you have no control of."

I nod, hardly comforted, but I know you're right. You pull my head gently up to kiss me and your hand strokes my hip softly. You wouldn't do this if you truly had no feelings; not you. I thought back to my revelation earlier: enjoy what you have before it's gone, and snuggle further into your warmth as I feel your amused chuckle vibrate through my body. "Idiot," falls fondly from your lips and you close your eyes, falling asleep almost immediately.

A sigh slips from my mouth and I attempt to regain that post-coital comfort I had only a few moments earlier before you had to ruin it with your nosy questions, and find it easier to close my eyes and clear my mind.

No, what we have isn't a relationship, or a friendship, and it certainly isn't love.

But for now, it has to be enough.

After all, it's all I have.

_Are you looking over my shoulder? _

_Am I enough or just your sacrificial love?_

**I'm now reminded why I hate first-person present tense, because the number of times I had to edit this was astounding. The second-person also messes me up, because I went whole stretches saying 'he' instead of 'you' and had to correct it. Ah well, this project is about experimentation, after all! **

**Don't be afraid to drop a review!**


	8. 21 Guns

**Disclaimer: One Piece does not belong to me, and the song 21 Guns is performed by Green Day. **

**Title: 21 Guns**

**Rating: T. Lots of introspection and speculation**

**Pairing(s): all fairly mild, but there's ZoroxSanji, LuccixKaku, LawxKidd, SmokerxAce (you'll get it once you read, I promise…and the order of the pairings aren't really that significant in this one either)**

**Warnings: None, really. **

**Spoilers: For recent chapters**

**Word Count: 3491**

**21 Guns**

**サンジ**

_Do you know what's worth fighting for_

_When it's not worth dying for?_

_Does it take your breath away,_

_And you feel yourself suffocating?_

It's useless.

No, _he's _useless, sitting here on this island with no way off and no way of knowing where anyone else is. His lovely angels, Nami-san and Robin-chan…are they alright? Safe? In a place as peaceful (save for the locals, but they're friendly, at least. _Too _friendly, but that's beside the point) as he is?

And what about the others? Usopp and Chopper and…he sighs, knowing that, whatever happens, he has to get off of this island and get to wherever Ace is.

Because that's where Luffy will end up, inevitably, despite his assurances that Ace won't need help. In the end, crew loyalties only go so far, and family is the one that gets you through.

Luffy will rescue Ace, and he's going to do everything in his power to be able to get there and help the young captain do it. Because Ace is like family to all of them, despite the short time he'd been with them. He's a fellow gentleman, a wonderful fighter, and just a genuinely good guy.

And there were far too few of those in the world to let one go without a decent fight.

He lights another cigarette and stares at the ocean, a strange and uncomfortable deja-vu washing over him. Once again he's stuck on an island with no way to get off; landlocked; trapped; and he feels his heart beat faster at the thought and forces himself to contain it. He can't panic; can't let old fears resurface. Not now.

_Does the pain weight out the pride_

_And you look for a place to hide?_

_Did someone break your heart inside?_

_You're in ruins…_

The others will be fine, he tells himself over and over. They'll be fine. They're strong. None of them were that horribly injured when Kuma teleported them away.

None of them.

Except…

Except…

He groans and runs a hand through his golden hair, the wind catching the flyaway strands and blowing them across his face.

Zoro. He isn't recovered yet, Sanji knows, despite his assurances that he's back to normal. The blonde has seen him on the deck, only doing about half of his reps, and he doesn't eat as much as he used to either.

He needs more time to recover; time that, with the war drawing ever closer, he'll never have.

And that's scary. Really scary.

Because Zoro _shouldn't _be the one that needs taking care of, but he _is, _and Sanji can't be there to look after him.

But then, it's not like he was ever great in that department either. He had tried to be the strong one at Thriller Bark, and what had it left him with? Nothing more than a deeper pain in his side and a lot more guilt than he was used to dealing with.

In the days after he'd sworn that it was time; he'd tell Zoro that maybe he'd done it to be selfish: not only for Luffy, but because he cares about _Zoro _too much to see him die.

Needless to say, it never happened, and now he may never get a chance to…

No, he can't think that, can't…because when, if…_when _he sees that over-muscled green-headed lump of a swordsman again, he's going to run at him, jump into his arms and press their mouths together while studiously flipping off anyone naïve enough to comment on it.

And then he'll probably kick Zoro.

Just because.

After all, there's always _something _that's his fault.

But first…he crushes his cigarette on the rocky ground and stands, eyes searching the horizon for a ship on which to barter passage on.

The war is upon them.

He's just going to have to do his best to make sure he makes it out alive.

**カク**

_When you're at the end of the road_

_And you lost all sense of control_

_And your thoughts have taken their toll,_

_When your mind breaks the spirit of your soul_

He thinks too much.

It's hardly a phenomenon, but the fact remains valid.

And, unsurprisingly, as their little ship draws closer and closer to Marine Headquarters, his thoughts have turned increasingly morbid.

The Marines sent after them proved one thing, after all: they were wanted criminals, now. Wanted for merely doing their job, and it hurt, although perhaps it shouldn't. Poetic justice and all that, and he irritably brushes an invisible speck of dirt from his coat.

So this is what it feels like, then. The knowledge that a man is going to his death. A criminal's death; no mercy; and his memories don't help any.

He's only seen one hanging, when he was a child. He'd gone up to the Marine officer officiating and tugged on his coat, asking with that child-like naivety what was about to happen. His answer, that the unlucky pirate would enjoy nothing more than a 'short drop and a sudden stop', hadn't given him much clarity, but the rest of that scene remains etched in his mind to this day.

His hand unconsciously raises to brush against the smooth skin of his throat, more sensitive skin than most would have simply due to the strange effects of his Devil Fruit, but he can _feel _the rope tightening, see the platform, his death, his…

A hand closes over his, fingertips brushing his neck and making him shiver as a second hand settles on his hip. "What are you thinking about?"

"Imagining a rope around my neck," he replies rather wryly. "After all, it's all I can look forward to."

"Being morbid doesn't suit you," the other man chuckles, voice sliding around him like tainted silk and he shivers again, losing himself in the overwhelming presence of the man behind him. "Leave that for me."

"It's hard not to be a tad morbid, Rob. Heading bravely toward your death and all…"

"Hardly,"

"Do _not _attempt to make me feel better. You've signed our death warrant. 'Former subordinate' ringing a bell anywhere?" he snaps, uncharacteristically harsh although the moment demands it.

"Testy, aren't we?"

"I don't fear death."

"None of us do."

"But that hardly means I want to die," he stops, clenching one hand into a fist before bracing it on the railing. "We've only done our jobs, Rob, so I don't…"

"You're a traitor."

_Your faith walks on broken glass_

_And the hangover doesn't pass_

_Nothing's ever built to last_

_You're in ruins_

"Come again?" he replies mildly, eyes shooting open.

"I said, 'you're a traitor,'" a light kiss is placed on the back of his neck.

"More than you yourself, then?"

"Tell me,…"

And suddenly his arm is wrenched behind his back, caught in a grip far too powerful to be human as the hand on his throat closes, claws digging into his skin.

"Lucci…" he tries to warn, but the tremor in his voice is evident.

"I could kill you now," the voice is low now, ominous and sinuous as it breathes 'danger' around him. "I could kill you so _easily_. Traitor."

"Why?" he chokes out, the pressure on his windpipe increasing. "What did I…"

"The truth, now, and it will stay between us. You gave Roronoa the key."

He gasps as the hand is pulled away and instead arms crush him against a firm chest, wondering whether or not the truth is going to be useful in this instance. He knows Lucci could kill him; knows that it's within his rights, at least, no matter how unconventional it might seem.

"Roronoa defeated me fairly. He was better than I. As a worthy opponent, I would never stoop so low as to deny the victor their rights. He was promised the key. I am a man of my word…"

"And it will be your downfall," Lucci hisses, one hand slipping under the baggy jacket he's wearing and sliding over the still-present bandages. "You knew all along, didn't you?"

"That I had the key to Nico Robin's handcuffs?" he chuckles. "Yes. I went too far, though; I pushed _him _too far, and that's why I lost. Anyone who is willing to fight that vehemently for their nakama…"

"Do you believe I would?"

"For me? No," he sighs, letting his weight rest against the older man. "Should I?"

"We'll see soon enough. When we arrive…watch your back, Kaku. If I can't watch it for you."

And this is it, he muses. _This _is Rob Lucci being romantic; his personal message of, 'I care about you and I'd be hurt if you died.'

"Watch your own, first," he replies after a moment, as he's spun around and kissed like he's only been kissed a few times in his life.

They are heading toward an unknown fate, but at least they're facing it together.

As a team.

This war will change the world, and he only hopes that they're all left standing by the end of it.

**ロ一**

_One, 21 guns_

_Lay down your arms_

_Give up the fight_

There are advantages, he thinks, to having the Devil Fruit power that he does. When Kuma had decided to blast the whole clearing before leaving, he's still convinced that the only thing that saved him was switching himself with an unlucky tree on the other side of the grassy area.

It was a noble sacrifice on the tree's part. However, he had no time to look out for anyone else, and so who knew where his crew (and Kidd's crew, but that was hardly relevant) currently were.

Whatever the case, though, Kuma has certainly done a number on the island, he thinks, glancing around; many of the mangroves are knocked over and the grass in all directions is flattened. He sighs, resting his fist against the bark of a half-destroyed mangrove tree, and merely blinks when the soft sound of footsteps on grass comes from behind him.

"Eustass."

"Trafalgar," Kidd grunts, moving up beside the other man. "I saw you use that fancy switching thing to get out of there."

"And you?"

"Had to make a little covering of whatever metal I could grab when he let that laser go," Kidd replies in a rather offhand way; as if his life wasn't just in jeopardy, and Law rolls his eyes in response.

"You're laughing at me," Kidd turns those piecing yellow eyes on him, and he meets them impassively with his icy blue.

"I am most certainly not."

"Inside you are."

"Mr. Kidd, this is no time to be flippant. We have bigger things to consider."

"The war, you mean?"

Law shakes his head. "Yes. The war. Kizaru himself was sent here thanks to Straw-Hat and his crew, and now we're right in the thick of it. The question is, do we _do _anything? Do we go to Headquarters and join in the fight, or do we hang back and merely observe?"

"It would be easy to," Kidd grunts, crossing his arms and staring at the water. "All forces are on their way to HQ for the execution. We could slip away and they'd never know."

"You've heard the news, then?"

"That Portgas and that Straw-Hat boy are brothers? Yes. At least we know where _he _is,"

"How many aren't going to make it out of this war?"

And he must have sounded more bitter than he thinks, if the vaguely comforting arm around his shoulders is any indication. Of course, it's all a little stiff and awkward, because it isn't like he and Kidd really had any interaction outside of whatever they could scrounge up whenever their ships crossed paths, but the effort is appreciated. "You're a bleeding heart, Trafalgar."

"They've talked about it since I was a child. Up in the North Blue," he says vaguely. "They say the war's been brewing since Roger's death, and it's going to change the world."

"And all because of one man getting captured," Kidd sounds almost thoughtful, which is strange for him, but Law nods and leans against him, smiling to himself when the taller man makes no snarky comment about it.

"So what do we do?"

_When it's time to live and let die_

_And you can't get another try_

_Something inside this heart has died, you're in ruins_

"We have to go."

"I was afraid you'd say that."

"You don't have to come with me."

"What, and let you run to your death alone? You've got no crew, Mr. Kidd. It's only you…you against the World Government," Law points out, although he's sure Kidd already knows the truth of it.

"I'll make it."

"Don't be so cocky," Law snorts, expertly-lined eyes sliding closed. He's not like Hawkins; he can't foresee his own death, but if he had to take a stab at guessing, he would put most of his bets on the coming days. "Besides, you're hopeless without someone to back you up."

"And you're any better? You've got that ridiculous talking bear that follows you like a lapdog," Kidd retorts with a sneer, but the tightening of his hand around Law's arm and the press of black nails through the fabric of his shirt tell him enough.

"So maybe we're both a little adrift at the moment."

"You may be adrift, Trafalgar, but I know exactly where I'm headed," Kidd makes no move to leave, though, although Law can feel how tense he's becoming. Can sense the blood-lust beginning to rise, and Kidd was nearly insatiable when it came to battle. "So are you joining me, or are you staying here and hiding like a scared child?"

"I'm afraid I don't quite see why you're so eager to race toward your death, Mr. Kidd," Law says, voice rather contemplative as he watches the sun begin to set, turning the sky and sea below it the colour of fresh blood.

"Because it's going to come someday, and when it does, the stories are not going to say how Eustass Kidd hid in a corner and begged for mercy. My pride couldn't handle anything less," Kidd furrows his brow in confusion, as if wondering why Law would even have to ask.

"Maybe I don't have that obsessive need for posthumous fame," Law smirks, although he knows Kidd can't see it.

"Law, just drop the act and tell me straight: you coming or not?" Kidd's tired of playing games, it seems, and Law takes a deep breath before swiping his hat off of his head and letting his other hand ruffle the short dark strands of hair; holds the hat against his chest almost like an early tribute to those who won't make it out of this war.

"I'm coming."

"Good. Let's go," Kidd runs a hand down his arm and clasps his hand for the briefest of moments before he turns and walks away, oversized coat flapping in the slight breeze.

Law lets that little half-smile linger on his face for a moment longer before it slips away and his eyes narrow, replacing the hat on his head and turning away from the setting sun; walking toward town and the ship that will carry him to his fate.

Only time would tell if it is carrying him to his death.

**エス**

_Did you try to live on your own _

_When you burned down the house and home?_

'The last sky you'll ever see.'

That was what they had told him, and while part of him had accepted long ago that his luck had run out and his death was inevitable, another part refused to believe it, knowing that Luffy won't abandon him.

Luffy's coming for him.

And that scares him more than it should. His life is his own, but how can he be expected to accept the fact that, because of him, his _brother _might end up dying as well? He's the older sibling; it's his job to protect Luffy, and what's happening? Now he has to depend on Luffy to save him.

And he's heard the talk: Whitebeard will come, they all say. He'll intercept the ship somewhere during the journey to Headquarters.

And Whitebeard might, if he believes that it's his own fault Ace lost to Blackbeard; if he believes that Ace will die because of his decision.

But Whitebeard _can't come. _

Because that will be the trigger.

And the war will start.

The war…

That may be what hurts the most…how is a man supposed to feel, knowing that, because of him and him alone, countless people will die or be injured? How can a man accept that his death will not bring resolution, but will only cause more destruction?

And he tells himself that it's silly, believing that he's the sole factor in starting a war that's been brewing for twenty-two odd years.

But…

But if he isn't the cause, he's something even more frightening:

The catalyst.

Because the leaders of all three sides of this war are directly connected to him, through no fault of his own. His grandfather probably doesn't care, but he happens to be a Marine Vice-Admiral. His father can rot for all eternity as far as he's concerned, and yet he's the leader of the revolution. And his captain should concentrate on looking for the One Piece, but he knows deep down that he'll come.

The three sides: the pirates, the revolutionaries, and the government.

Clashing.

Because.

Of.

Him.

_Did you stand too close to the fire?_

_Like a liar looking for forgiveness from a stone_

He decides after a while, enjoying the salty breeze in his face and the sun on his dark hair, that he has enough to worry about apart from whether the war is his fault.

But his next (and probably first) train of thought turns inevitably to his brother. Is Luffy safe? Did he make it out of Impel Down alright? And what about his crew, that motley bunch of incredibly good-hearted people that would follow him to the ends of the earth and back?

Because Ace knows that if they're not with him _now, _they're _coming._

No, he has to get his mind away from the guilt and focus on something, anything…

"They say _all _of the Marine higher-ups are gonna be there too, you hear that, boy?"

They're trying to goad him again, but he doesn't reply. Hasn't said a word since they boarded him onto the ship, not since he cried out for his brother in that moment of weakness.

He won't let them see that he's eating himself alive with guilt and worry.

He won't let them know that he's close to breaking.

Because he won't break.

He won't.

"You know some of them personally, don'tcha boy?"

Personally? Like…

And finally, a way to take his mind off of everything appears. Remember the good times with that Captain-turned-Commodore back at the start of the Grand Line. Because even though they spent all of their time chasing and being chased, Ace never really believed that Smoker would capture him.

Heck, Smoker _couldn't _capture him: their opposing Logia fruits prevented it.

But he was going to be there, eh?

Pity that,

Well, then, Ace thinks with an invisible smile, he'll just have to improvise. No matter how hard he's hurting inside, he won't let it come to the surface. Smoker's taught him that much; that man's stamina and persistence are, quite frankly, inspiring, and the least Ace can do to prove to the older man that he's not going down defeated is to hold his head high as he's marched to the execution platform.

And with that thought, a slow fire begins to burn in his chest, spreading warmth through his limbs nearly reminiscent of the ever-burning flame inside of him, as impossible as that is when he's currently chained in sea-stone. But he can feel the fire; it isn't dead, as he had once thought when being engulfed by Blackbeard's darkness. It's merely dormant; hiding, like a volcano everyone thinks is extinct until the lava bubbles to the surface again.

Luffy will be fine. He's Luffy.

If Whitebeard comes, he'll do it because he thinks it's right, and Ace would never question his captain no matter how singled out he may feel by it.

The war may be inevitable, but that hardly means he has to face it without support or a firm belief that everything's going to turn out alright.

He knows it will.

Deep inside, he _knows _it.

And the next time he sees that insufferable Commodore, he's going to look him straight in the eyes and slap that cocky grin back onto his face; it's been far too long since he was able to smile freely.

One way or another, it's all going to end today.

It just helps a little bit believing that he's going to be alive to see the sun set.

_One, 21 guns_

_Throw up your arms into the sky_

_You and I…_

**It's been a while since I did a song-fic, but getting the new GD album inspired me enough to do so. I tried the whole present-tense thing again, so I hope that it worked! Once again I can't promise when the next one will be, but I hope that everyone enjoyed :D**

**I blatantly used a quote from POTC as well, but it seemed to fit, so I decided to keep it in there…**

**On another note, the chapter page for this week's OP chapter? Priceless. Okama with **_**nets **_**and Sanji failing hardcore xP**

**And please drop me a review :)**


	9. Just Here To The Left Of You

**Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece or the song "Just Here To The Left Of You."**

**Title: Just Here To The Left Of You**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Pairing(s): All mild, but…and bear with me here while I go through this list…ZoroxSanji, ZoroxKuina, UsoppxKaya, LuffyxUsopp, SanjixUsopp, LuffyxNami, SanjixNami, Merryshipping. Wow. What a list. **

**Warnings: I wrote a fic with entirely NO DIALOGUE. GO, ME! (I am the queen of too much dialogue…)**

**Spoilers: Just up to Enies this time around**

**Word Count: 2588**

**Just Here To The Left Of You**

_Hit back, it won't hurt you_

_Lean in, no inertia_

_Bold is the love that I fight to save_

You remember it from when you were young, the first time that Shanks took you out on a boat and you stood at the bowsprit, arms spread wide as you fought against the wind and laughed, and he shook his head and smiled at you. You couldn't tell at your young five years of age, but there was undeniable pride in his eyes as he watched you: he knew you were going to become something great.

You remember your brother, always egging you on to fight him. You knew you could never beat him, because he was bigger and stronger, but he taught you that no matter what the obstacle in front of you was you had to break through it, and even if you couldn't you had to try.

You remember eating that spiral fruit, forgetting that you couldn't swim, and almost being eaten. You remember the blood staining the water, the scream that you let out. You remember that Shanks smiled through all of it, and then he gave you his hat, and you promised to do great things.

You remember making the same promises to Ace, when you still couldn't beat him even though you had special powers and he didn't. You remember his grin, and this time you saw how proud he was of you as he ruffled you hair and called you 'kid.' You'd always be 'kid' to him, even though you're seventeen now and you're _not _a kid. You remember the people you care about, the ones you'd protect with your life, and you smile, and this time there is pride in _your_ eyes as you think about them.

_Head on, no collision_

_Confusion, indecision_

_I don't believe I'm too far to be saved_

You remember being scared more than anything else. You remember the noise, the fire, the explosions, the tears streaming from your clear blue eyes as you sobbed, the sobs of a child who didn't understand what was happening; only knew that something was wrong. You still don't understand, not really, because why was knowledge a reason for an entire island to be destroyed? You know that there are corrupt people in the government, but it still seems barbaric to you.

You remember running, running from town to town, island to island, and crew to crew. Never setting up permanent relationships, never letting your walls down entirely, because to do that would spell death. You let your reputation speak for you, and you believed fiercely that on the day your luck ran out, that would be it.

You remember when it happened, twenty years after you'd started running, when you tried to outsmart a man smarter than you. You remember that boy, blood streaming down his arms as he saved you despite your protests. You remember feeling, for a long time afterward, that you didn't deserve to be saved.

You remember that time not too long ago, the time on the top of that building, where you admitted you wanted to live, and remember the smiles on their faces. You remember how simple everything seemed after that; you laughed freely for the first time and felt no shadow of doubt hanging over you, only the warm sunlight and the cool ocean breeze on your face, and you were, also for the first time, content, because you knew you were loved.

_Twist and turn me, bait and burn me_

_Smile and send me to oblivion_

You remember the rain. It was raining the day that she died, and it was raining the day of her funeral. It should have been snowing, that's how cold it felt, but instead rain fell in icy torrents, soaking through your clothes and soaking your hair and masking the tears flowing down your face. You remember being wary of stairs, still are wary of stairs, watching them and anyone coming down them too closely.

You remember the pain in her father's voice as he entrusted you with the white katana. You remember the lines etched prematurely on his face and around his eyes, lines of stress caused by a resolute desire to keep the tears in check even when he told you there was no shame in crying.

You remember that you can count the number of times in your life that you've cried, outside of anything surrounding her, on one hand. And there are times when you think of her and all you can see is her funeral, and you force yourself to think of her smile.

You remember her smile, because she was always laughing, always putting up a front around the other students. You remember that around you she became serious, knowing deep in her heart that she could never have what she most dreamed of. You remember, being young, you didn't understand, but you promised her what she wanted you to.

You remember her smile after you said those words, because she was crying that time, and yet it was the sweetest smile you've ever seen.

You remember thinking that, if love gave you butterflies in your stomach, that's what this was. And now, you know you've seen it again: it's her smile, and just because it's on a fair-haired man instead of a dark-haired girl doesn't mean your stomach isn't doing those same flip-flops. However, you're pretty sure you've got a snowball's chance in a very warm place of ever getting anywhere with this. You're pretty sure he's rabidly straight.

You remember that the first time you kiss, he tries to kick you, but you manage to hold his leg and eventually you realize that he _wasn't _trying to kick you, only hook his leg around your back. He pulls back and smiles that same smile, her smile, and this time you understand, and you return it.

_Breathe and bathe me, just be and save me_

_Know I'm just here to the left of you_

You remember the island. It's hard not to, since it was obviously the single most traumatizing moment of your life. You used to think, being apprenticed to chefs, that you'd never run short on food. You know now that you were wrong, and you've also seen first-hand how, even when it looks like there is no hope, something will appear that gives it back, and it may not be pleasant, and it may not be ideal, but at least it's _some_thing.

You remember the infection, and the pain. You remember how, even though you'd always styled it that way, you consciously grew the fringe on the left side of your face long to hide the defect, because who wanted to look at an eye where the iris was so pale as to almost be called white? Besides, it's not like you could _see _out of it, and by the time they finally got you to shore it was too late.

You remember the work, how hard you tried in the kitchen and on deck, sparring with the old geezer, and how he took advantage of your weakness. You protested vehemently, using words that no child should know, and he told you that you have to learn to work with your disability because otherwise you'll be dead. You shut up, then, but it didn't stop you from hating every time he tried to literally blind-side you.

You remember the first time the crew found out…the first time _he _found out. You'd been fighting, like usual, when you'd gotten your foot caught in some netting Usopp had left out and fell backward, smacking your head painfully on the deck, and blinking fuzzily when he leant over you, rare concern in his eyes before he froze.

You remember freaking out, thinking you had a concussion or worse, when you realized that your hair had shifted and he saw your eyes. Plural. You remember him cupping your cheek and pulling you up for a closer look, and you let him, even as he helped you back to the galley to sit and wait for the dizziness to pass.

You remember that he never spoke of it to the crew, but it also remained unspoken that in any battle you fought, he stuck close, if not directly at your back then just a little to your left, making sure that neither enemies nor your friends knew about your weakness.

You remember not liking that he knew your secret, and yet it was hardly something that could be taken back. But he never teased you about it, and he never asked you how it happened (just like you never asked about that sword of his). You were tempted to tell him some nights when you could safely lay together, but every time you opened your mouth he would shake his head and kiss you instead.

You remember thinking that, if he was going to be so stubborn about it, he didn't deserve to know. And really, that was okay, because you were warm and happy and safe and full and as far away from that spit of rock, both physically and mentally, as you ever could be.

_Dream on, fill me up now_

_I bet you know just how_

_Loud I can scream, don't you let me go_

You remember the tree, because it was right outside of her room, and you could climb up any time you wished and she would be there, because she was too ill to leave in those days, pale and blonde and skinny and awkward and beautiful, and you just wanted to help her in any way that you could, because it made you feel like you were worth something.

You remember her laugh, bright clear chimes of sound that cut through even the gloomiest days, and how she would smile and call you silly when you told her of your adventures, but she never said outright that she doubted you, and at the time that was the sweetest gift anybody could give you.

You remember _Merry, _and how she gave the ship to you, and you took her hand and kissed her cheek and she blushed beet red, staring at the ground and scuffling her feet as you promised you'd be back someday. She smiled, and your heart swelled, and she returned the chaste kiss before stepping back and waving goodbye to the little caravel and its little crew.

You remember fighting for _Merry, _and how you felt betrayed that nobody else would back you up when you voiced this. You ran, which you're fairly good at doing, only to come back dressed like the hero you always wanted to be. You were nervous, because you knew your disguise wouldn't fool many (Luffy and Chopper not included), but you felt better that the first ones to have to put up with you were Sanji and Franky. Franky didn't know you well enough, and Sanji…Sanji just _gets _you, and when you got a spare moment on the train and he crushed you to him in a hug, a very un-Sanji-ish way of affection (for a guy, anyway) you thanked him for warning you about Aqua Laguna and he just gave a rather broken laugh and said he was glad you were alright.

You remember how hard it was to apologize; how the words wouldn't form. How when they did, you thought your heart would burst because not only did the crew, your friends, forgive you, but _Luffy, _wonderful Luffy who was always smiling and always ready to play games with you and always ready to give you an encouraging word when you needed it, forgave you. You remember promising that you'd never fight with him that way again, and that Kaya would be proud of you because a true hero isn't afraid to admit his mistakes.

You remember that you kept that old Sogeking mask, just to remind you of what you were capable of, how brave you _could _be, and also because without it maybe you wouldn't have had the courage to do what you did; to say the things you said when Luffy was laying paralyzed on that rooftop.

You remember that, in the end, it was _you _who did all that, and maybe next time you'll just have to see if you can do it without the mask.

_Feed on infatuation_

_Swallow, just one taste of_

_All that I am, all I have to show_

You remember how you were always 'the girl.'

You remember how Nojiko was an absolute tomboy, and if she wanted to run around in a baggy t-shirt and shorts nobody would look at her any different, but if you ever left the house without a dress the whispers would follow you all across town. It didn't make sense; you were _much _more of a tomboy than she'd ever be, and yet it was only acceptable for _her _to dress that way!

You remember feeling special through the pain, special because you were the only one who could free your village from Arlong. You tried as hard as you could, and stole and betrayed and blackmailed and did every other stereotypical thing you could think of that you'd heard of pirates doing in the past. You remember how proud Nojiko and Genzo and the villagers were of you when you realized that they knew you weren't betraying _them, _and you remember how bad you felt when you finally betrayed the people you came to care about, Luffy and the others.

You remember the tears, the helplessness in your voice, and his hand, so gentle on your hair before he placed that special hat on your head and promised to help you; called you a friend.

You remember thinking that you weren't sure you ever had a friend before.

You remember how, sometimes, you still think the crew treats you like a girl, when you can fight, _have _fought, and fought strong opponents, too. You know they'd never patronize Robin the way they do you, because Robin's a mature, beautiful _woman _and you're just a skinny awkward girl, still coming into her body and who she wants to be, still a little rough around the edges and a little less than tactful.

You remember, often, that they protect you because they love you. You're the best navigator on the Grand Line, you believe that and you're sure they do, too, because they've never questioned you, skinny girl or not. You know that all of them would put themselves before you, even Zoro, no matter how indifferent and snippy he tends to get when you tease him.

You remember one night in particular, under the stars, when it was still just the five of you: you'd all fallen asleep in a pile on the deck, and Sanji and Zoro were just kind-of-sort-of figuring out where they stood with each other. You were laying with your head on Luffy's stomach and his head was on Usopp's, and you looked up and met Sanji's…eye, you supposed, because it was all you could ever see. For once he didn't say anything stupid, just smiled the sweetest smile at you and you couldn't help but smile back before you fell asleep, knowing instinctively that it was going to be a beautiful day tomorrow.

_I know I'm standin' to the left of you_

_When there's only the dark I can still see the light_

_When there's only the dark, you are always the light_

_In my eyes_

**I apologize for not doing a Chopper section since I did the rest of the original seven, but no parts of the song really related to him for me…I love Chopper, he's adorable, but that's the main reason why…**

**Anyhow, strange story about the guy who sings the song I chose. Personally, I'm in love with his voice (plus I've seen him live), and my mom knows it. So when I burned a new mix CD, she asked me "how many Roger songs do you have on there?" and when I told her there was only one she didn't believe me. However, upon reaching that song it had barely been playing for five seconds before she knew who it was. Hmm, closet fan, perhaps? Anyway, his name's not actually Roger, it's Adam Pascal, but he's most famous for doing a role on Broadway (where his character's name is Roger). The song's kind of obscure if you're not already a fan, so I've put it up on rapidshare so you can listen to it (it can be downloaded at rapidshare(dot)com/files/255573735/Adam_Pascal_-_Just_Here_to_the_Left_of_You(dot)mp3(dot)html. (maybe I should do that with all the songs for this series…it does help if you hear the music…)**

**Anyway, fangirling over Adam aside, I hope you enjoyed, and drop me a review :D**


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